Fatal boating accident

[Rum_Pirate]

I wasn't going to post this, but I want to get it off my chest.

I was at a beach bar, 9th Feb. and two people I know were there and I left a few minutes after they left.
About 8pm they had set off on an inflatable powered by a 90hp Yamaha outboard to go to the harbor about 3 miles away.
On the way, they collided with the Caribbean Explorer II an large dive boat which was anchored off my house (1/4 mile off shore) and was well lit.

My son was having a party and looking over the 60'0' cliff edge saw an inflatable going around in circles with music (which has alerted them) blaring.
We called the Coast Guard.
Both forward tubes of inflatable were deflated.
Inflatable did this circling for over and hour and a quarter on the same spot.
Saw the CG at the Caribbean Explorer II.
CG then left at high speed for its base.
Found out later that 'TJ' driver of inflatable died in the collision of a head injury. Austin had a severe cut to his head and also suffered a dislocated shoulder.
'TJ' it seems was killed instantly - head injury.
Austin cannot remember anything.
He, Austin, was pulled out of the water and resuscitated by people on the CE II.

The CE II sent a dinghy to the circling inflatable and stopping about 100 feet away shouted "Anyone aboard?". With no answer, they returned to the CE II,
A useless hail by them, especially if anyone was aboard and unconscious needing medical assistance.

Went to CG base with a friend. Reported the inflatable going round in circles and (we had heard that there could have been 2, 3 or 4 aboard). Fortunately only the two. A third, a girl, had been persuaded not to go.

The CG finally headed out and recovered the inflatable - a danger to shipping and possibility of another injured person aboard - not before nudging it and sending it on the rocks ashore damaging the engine foot and prop.

The wind was fair alongshore and the waves small with swells going towards shore, yet the inflatable kept in that spot for so long.

Seems that the 'kill switch' was not worn (or not working?).
Alcohol probably.
Lifejackets worn? Doubtful.

Just be careful.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

90Hp on an inflatable was it a RIB?

 

[Rum_Pirate]

90Hp on an inflatable was it a RIB?

It was as it was in the 10'0" to 15'0" range ( didn't measure it but have videos of it circling) and the bow was still 'projecting' despite the front tubes being deflated.

 

[RupertW]

So often the kill switch - I don’t know how they start the engine without one. We treat ours like a car key that is put onto the wrist before stepping aboard.

 

[Rum_Pirate]

One bit I did not like was seeing TJ's body lying uncovered in the stern of the Coast Guard vessel while they awaited the vehicle to transport him to the morgue.

For some reason here the ambulance does not take dead people, although it took Austin unconscious/recovered.

 

[rotrax]

90Hp on an inflatable was it a RIB?

I have just enjoyed a remarkable 5 hours fishing with an Austrian guy I met in the far North of NZ's North Island. We caught loads of big Snapper in Rangiputa Harbour.

He had a 5 metre GRP boat - a Bucaneer IIRC - with a 150HP Suzuki donk.

Big motors on small boats seems to be the norm here. A 40 HP would be more likely to be fitted in the Solent.

It did go fast! But so uncomfortable.

I suppose it gets it over quick!

 

[Seajet]

Sorry to hear about your friend, Rum Pirate.

I knew a couple of guys who did a ' pub crawl ' around Falmouth at night in a speedboat - nb things were a lot different in the 1970's.

Suddenly the windscreen shattered, and god knows how but they threw themselves flat; they'd run into one of the big ship mooring chains...

 

[mainsail1]

On a number of occasions, when sailing in the Solent at night I have been very scared by people roaring past in ribs at 30/ 40 /50knots. They seem to loose all sense of danger. Darwin would have had something to say about it.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I have just enjoyed a remarkable 5 hours fishing with an Austrian guy I met in the far North of NZ's North Island. We caught loads of big Snapper in Rangiputa Harbour.

He had a 5 metre GRP boat - a Bucaneer IIRC - with a 150HP Suzuki donk.

Big motors on small boats seems to be the norm here. A 40 HP would be more likely to be fitted in the Solent.

It did go fast! But so uncomfortable.

I suppose it gets it over quick!

A long time ago when I was diving I used to run a Humber Attaque with twin 60Hp outboards it was a very seaworthy boat, did a couple of cross channel trips and many 20 + mile offshore diving trips in her. Happy days.

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

One bit I did not like was seeing TJ's body lying uncovered in the stern of the Coast Guard vessel while they awaited the vehicle to transport him to the morgue.

For some reason here the ambulance does not take dead people, although it took Austin unconscious/recovered.

They only take dead bodies away in ambulances on TV programmes, it doesn't happen in real life! Somebody should tell the programme makers. They never seem to do much research - there was a bloke with a bad leg in Downton Abbey who spent 6 series using a walking stick in the wrong hand. How we laughed!

 

[Joker]

"On a number of occasions, when sailing in the Solent at night I have been very scared by people roaring past in ribs at 30/ 40 /50knots. "

Some years ago now, during Cowes week, a RIB left Cowes and travelled up Southampton water at high speed. Near the top of Southampton water there are three very large mooring buoys for ships – circular, not very high, but about 5 or more metres in diameter.

He hit one of those, and at least one of the crew were killed, and – my memory might be failing on this one – but I think he was done for manslaughter.

 

[tillergirl]

there was a bloke with a bad leg in Downton Abbey who spent 6 series using a walking stick in the wrong hand. How we laughed!

Sorry - lack of experience - which I wish I had. It depends on the injury. When my right knee is bad I use the left hand with the stick. Why? Because I can only place my weight on my right knee with my right leg straight so with my right knee straight I use my left hand to hold me up while I move my left leg forward. I can move quite quickly that way. On other occcasions if my right knee is so bad I can't even support my weight when the leg is straight, I have to use the stick in my right hand so no weight goes onto the right knee. Progress that way is very slow. Try cleaning your teeth standing up when the knee is that bad!

The thread drifts. I apologise, I had to say because the s*%&^dding knee is hurting bad today.

PS. Ambulances do take dead people away who have not been certified as dead even if obviously dead. A doctor will attend outside the A & E to certify.

 

[johnalison]

Sorry - lack of experience - which I wish I had. It depends on the injury. When my right knee is bad I use the left hand with the stick. Why? Because I can only place my weight on my right knee with my right leg straight so with my right knee straight I use my left hand to hold me up while I move my left leg forward. I can move quite quickly that way. On other occcasions if my right knee is so bad I can't even support my weight when the leg is straight, I have to use the stick in my right hand so no weight goes onto the right knee. Progress that way is very slow. Try cleaning your teeth standing up when the knee is that bad!

The thread drifts. I apologise, I had to say because the s*%&^dding knee is hurting bad today.

PS. Ambulances do take dead people away who have not been certified as dead even if obviously dead. A doctor will attend outside the A & E to certify.

I'm sorry about the knee, but the usual advice for a bad knee is for the stick to be carried in the opposite hand so that you can lean across and relieve the weight, as well as being handier and faster. This advice is most relevant for those with a painful hip, when the contra-lateral hand works to take most of the weight off the bearing surface, which works at a mechanical disadvantage in normal walking. I have no doubt that you will be doing whatever is best for your own knee, short of using two sticks, when you would be at risk of being treated as elderly.

 

[Uricanejack]

Very Sad.

Sorry to hear about your friends tragic loss. No doubt it was a nasty shock for all involved particularly those on the dive boat who tried to help him,
Unfortunately it’s not an unfamiliar story. It happens to often. small high powered vessel at night, hits something.
Think of a car accident at 30mph with no seat belts.
Alcohol is often a factor, we don’t know if it was this time or not. Hopefully not.
Running at planing speeds in a small boat at night can be risky. Even when you have not been to your local bar.

 

[Zing]

Some years ago the same thing happened in a Falmouth anchorage (Antigua). In that incident it was a sole dinghy driver who smacked into an anchored boat. The body was found the next morning with head injuries. The dinghy on the beach with tell-tale damage.

I don't think kill cords are the answer. A 90hp rib can do 40kt easily and that is far too fast without lights. I fit improvised headlights to mine. A very strong torch strapped to the bow and I go slow enough to stop. Not being drunk is a good idea, but it always is a good idea.

 

[Trop Cher]

PS. Ambulances do take dead people away who have not been certified as dead even if obviously dead. A doctor will attend outside the A & E to certify.

Ambulances don't take dead people away, for obvious reasons. The deceased is certified at scene by the crew and then becomes the responsibility of the police.

 

[Leighb]

Ambulances don't take dead people away, for obvious reasons. The deceased is certified at scene by the crew and then becomes the responsibility of the police.

Sorry but sometimes they do, I was called to a drowning in a swimming pool at a night time party many years ago, ambulance had also been called. The deceased was being given CPR by bystanders when we arrived , crew and I took over, but it was apparent to us quite soon that it was to no avail. However we carried on until we got him into the ambulance and declared him dead on arrival at the hospital. It was kinder to those at the scene.
I agree that in general they don't and when death is obvious but an ambulance has been called I have cancelled it to avoid wasting their time.

 

[alan_d]

Some years ago the same thing happened in a Falmouth anchorage (Antigua). In that incident it was a sole dinghy driver who smacked into an anchored boat. The body was found the next morning with head injuries. The dinghy on the beach with tell-tale damage.

Similar story in Tobermory Harbour in 2009, with one death. MAIB report HERE. Excessive speed in the dark and alcohol blamed.

 

[PilotWolf]

Ambulances don't take dead people away, for obvious reasons. The deceased is certified at scene by the crew and then becomes the responsibility of the police.

We certainly did when I was a paramedic in the UK . May have changed now though

W.

 

[Zing]

We certainly did when I was a paramedic in the UK . May have changed now though

W.

No. It’s the same. I’ve seen it done recently.