Boating Accidents

NTSB Accident Report: Cell Phone Use Contributed to Fatal Philly Duck Boat Crash

June 23, 2011 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

MIAMI, FL—June 23, 2011 Nearly one year after a Ride the Ducks tour boat crashed into a barge on the Delaware River off of Philadelphia, resulting in the deaths of two Hungarian tourists, the National Transportation Safety Board began releasing their investigatory findings into the fatal Duck boat crash. According to information provided by NBC Philadelphia, one key NTSB finding was that prior to the boat collision, as the Duck boat was stalled on the river, the mate who was operating the barge was talking on his cell phone.
On July 7, 2010, a Ride the Ducks tour boat stalled in the water off Penn’s Landing approximately 20 minutes before colliding with a barge. A total of 35 passengers and two crew members were thrown into the shipping channel as a result of the boat wreck. Two Hungarian students identified as 16-year-old Dora Schwendtner and 20-year-old Szabolcs Prem were killed in the Philadelphia Duck boat crash.

Upon conducting a full probe into the Philly Duck boat accident, NTSB investigators concluded that not only did the barge’s first mate fail to appoint another crew member to maintain a lookout for any potential dangers in the water below, he was also on his cell phone handling a family emergency at the time.
NTSB investigators also found that although initial reports suggested the Duck boat stalled as a result of an engine fire that broke out, investigations revealed that no fire was sparked prior to the collision.

Whether an individual is operating a car or operating a boat, handheld devices have been linked to countless accidents around the nation. According to Distraction.gov, the official U.S. government website for distracted driving, driver distractions can be considered anything from using a cell phone to changing the radio station or talking to a passenger from behind the wheel.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics suggested about 1 in 5 traffic accidents that occurred during the year 2009 involved distracted driving. Crashes involving distracted drivers resulted in the deaths of 5,474 accident victims and left 448,000 others injured.

Florida Man Faces Reckless Operation Charge In Double-Fatal Boat Crash

June 13, 2011 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

MIAMI, FL— June 13, 2011 – More than one year after a boating accident claimed the life of two high school students from Middleburg, Florida, the boat operator, who happens to be the father of one of the victims, faces a first degree misdemeanor charge in relation to the crash. According to information provided by First Coast News, Ted Hanner, who was arrested and charged with reckless operation, was behind the wheel of an unspecified boat when it struck a horizontal tree branch, killing his son, Travis, as well as his son’s friend Halee Mickey.

Beyond being charged with reckless operation in connection with the fatal boating accident that occurred last February, officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) contended Hanner also failed to keep proper lookout and operate the watercraft at an appropriate speed beforehand.

Reports suggested Hanner was operating the boat when its motor apparently began to shut down. Even though the vessel’s controls were seemingly in the on-position at the time, Hanner momentarily abandoned them so he could pump the fuel bulb, which was situated about seven feet away.

Shortly after he pumped the bulb, the motor regained full power and careened toward a nearby tree, where it subsequently collided with an overhanging branch. Hanner told FWC investigators that his son attempted to pull his friend away from the branch, but to no avail. Both of the teenagers suffered fatal injuries in the deadly boat crash.

According to the FWC’s accident report, “Leaving the controls of the vessel while under power and on plane, the operator [Ted Hanner] started a series of actions that led to this accident.”

Furthermore, though Hanner admitted to consuming a few beers on the day of the fatal wreck, toxicology tests revealed no alcohol in his system at the time.

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) statistics indicated there were 4,730 recreational boating accidents recorded during the year 2009. Those boat crashes resulted in a total of 736 fatalities that year.

Two Teens Charged In Palm Beach Boating Accident That Left Girl, 15, Badly Injured

June 9, 2011 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

MIAMI, FL— June 9, 2011 – A few months after a 15-year-old girl lost part of her leg in a South Florida boat accident, two 16-year-old boys have been charged in connection with the boating mishap. According to information provided by the Associated Press, the accident victim was badly injured upon swimming up to the boat, which was positioned near the Juno Beach Fishing Pier in Palm Beach County, and attempting to climb aboard.

Reports indicated Gabby DeSouza was swimming near the Juno Pier when a boat occupied by a couple of her friends arrived. Although several lifeguards apparently used their horns and whistles to warn the young boaters that they were operating their watercraft in an area meant for swimmers only, DeSouza decided to try to climb on board anyway. Unfortunately, her foot became entangled with the watercraft’s propeller as she attempted to do so.

Immediately after the February 5, 2011 boating accident, the two boys allegedly left the scene and avoided contacting authorities to report the mishap. Reports did not specify how the accident victim made it to shore before being transported to the hospital to be treated for her injuries.

On June 7, officials from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) arrested the two unidentified teenagers that initially fled the scene and subsequently booked them into an unspecified juvenile detention center. They were charged with leaving the scene of an accident with injury, as well as culpable negligence, in connection with the Palm Beach accident.

According to statistics provided by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), 4,730 recreational boating accidents, which resulted in a total of 736 deaths, were recorded in the United States during the year 2009.

Search Continues For Boat Operator in Palm Beach County Crash That Left Victim With Head Injuries

May 26, 2011 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

MIAMI, FL— May 26, 2011 – The hunt continues for the operator of a boat that wrecked along the Intracoastal Waterway last weekend, causing a passenger on board to suffer serious head injuries. TCPalm reports stated that shortly after the boat crashed into an illuminated channel marker around 9:46 p.m. on May 21, 2011, the 21-year-old Jupiter man who was operating the vessel fled the scene on foot.

According to officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Timothy Doran was operating a 23-foot boat, which he was not the owner of, when it collided with a channel marker for unknown reasons. Jupiter police suspect that alcohol might have contributed to the injurious boat wreck. Nevertheless, the FWC is expected to conduct a full investigation to determine the cause of the boat crash.

One passenger aboard the crashed boat, 26-year-old Kai Woodstock, suffered critical injuries. Woodstock was flown to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach to be treated for severe head injuries sustained in the collision. Reports did not specify whether Woodstock suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the boating accident.

There were four additional passengers aboard the watercraft when the violent boat accident occurred, though it appeared as if only one of them, Eric Conerly, 25, suffered injuries. Conerly’s injuries were described as minor. Authorities did not know if Doran was hurt in the crash.

Statistics provided by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) suggest there were 4,730 recreational boating accidents, resulting in a total of 736 boating fatalities, during the year 2009. Investigations into the Palm Beach County boat crash are underway.

Search Continues for Bodies of 3 Ship Workers Reported Missing After Gulfport Boat Collision

May 24, 2011 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

MIAMI, FL— May 24 2011 – Two days after an Omega Protein Inc. pogy boat became involved in a collision with a Chiquita container ship in the Gulfport ship channel, the U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search for the three crew members who went missing after the boating accident. According to information provided by the Sun Herald, Coast Guard personnel continue to search for the bodies of the three workers who disappeared in the May 18, 2011 Mississippi ship collision, though they did not seem to believe there were any more survivors.

Reports indicated the 163-foot Omega Protein Inc.-owned Sandy Point was en route to the company’s plant in Moss Point, Mississippi when it collided with the 660-foot Eurus London, which was transporting crates of Chiquita bananas to Texas at the time.

While details concerning the ship collision remained scarce, the Coast Guard’s navigation rules state, “A vessel engaged in fishing shall not impede the passage of any other vessel navigating within a narrow channel or fairway… A vessel shall not cross a narrow channel or fairway if such crossing impedes the passage of a vessel which can safely navigate only within such channel or fairway.”

Relatives identified two of the three boating accident victims who were reported missing after the ship wreck as Lindsey Tucker and Roderick Watkins. According to Lt. Matthew Mitchell, commander center chief of the Coast Guard’s Mobile, Alabama division, “Recovery is still ongoing. Our hearts and our prayers go out to the families of those three gentlemen.” A full probe into the fatal boating accident was expected to be underway.

Coast Guard statistics suggest there were a total of 4,730 recreational boating accidents, claiming the lives of 736 accident victims, during the 2009.