Good Book - www.halseystyphoon.com - Halsey's Tyhoon

If you like real sea stories you will like this book.  It is very well written and informative.  It is a quick read and entertaining too.  It will make you respect those who make their livings on the sea.

http://www.halseystyphoon.com

Dwayne

Humboldt State football player dies from hypothermia after boating accident

It was confirmed late Tuesday evening by Humboldt State University Sports Information Director Dan Pambianco that HSU football player Kenny Edwards died on Monday of hypothermia after being involved in a boating accident in San Francisco Bay.

Dwayne

Boater missing after capsizing in Lake Mangonia

Freddy Edmonds says he asked his roommate whether he wanted to put on a life vest before the boatman set out to sail across Lake Mangonia. But the 34-year-old man told him no. "I'll be alright," he said.

Slower Boat Speeds Rejected

Judge slams City and FWC in ruling on speed limits.

Dwayne

Ethan Allen Grand Jury Extended

QUEENSBURY----The grand jury empaneled to hear testimony surrounding the capsizing of the Ethan Allen tour boat on Lake George last October has extended its term.

Guilty

A Livingston County jury convicted 19-year-old Grant William Czuj of killing a Brighton Township man in a 2005 drunken boating accident on Zukey Lake.

Defense witness: Blame the lack of lights

Coast Guard experts says that lack of lights caused the accident. The jury is out....

Expert claims Czuj drank 12-pack of beer

A then-17-year-old Hamburg Township male accused of killing a man in a 2005 drunken driving boating accident on Zukey Lake had consumed at least 10-12 beers prior to the accident, according to testimony by a toxicologist Tuesday. Grant William Czuj, now 19, is accused of operating the inboard speedboat on the Hamburg Township lake on July 23, 2005, that killed Michael John LaFave, 27, as the Brighton Township man sat on a pontoon boat tethered to a ski boat. Czuj also is accused of causing a crippling injury to Sarah Ribas of Howell.

Friend testifies that boat driver said "I'm guilty" after fatal accident

“I’m guilty,” Grant William Czuj reportedly said just moments after the boating accident on Zukey Lake in July 2005 that left one person dead and several injured.

That was the testimony that Brian Murphrey — a friend who was aboard the speedboat Czuj was allegedly driving that night — gave in Livingston County Circuit Court this morning as Czuj’s trial got underway. Czuj, 19, is accused of operating the boat that killed Michael John LaFave and seriously injured Sarah Ribas. They were aboard a pontoon boat Czuj’s craft allegedly hit. Prosecutors say Czuj was intoxicated at the time. For all the details, read Tuesday’s Daily Press & Argus.

Those two words "I'm guilty" will be given great weight. Admissions made right after an incident like this are very damaging when they come into evidence as this statement apparently did.

Dwayne

Jury is selected in 2005 Zukey Lake boating accident

Jury is selected in 2005 Zukey Lake boating accident By Lisa Roose-Church DAILY PRESS & ARGUS Nine men and five women have been selected as jurors to hear the trial of a Hamburg Township man accused of killing a Brighton Township man in a 2005 boating accident on Zukey Lake.

Dwayne

Charges unlikely in boat deaths

Investigators say they will recommend against filing criminal charges against Eric and Michelle Singleton, the parents whose children died when the family boat sank on Lake Yale. The children were not wearing life jackets. "In my estimation, it would be adding insult to their injury in this case," said Lt. Don McMillen, supervising investigator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

This is a terrible case and it seems the authorities are making the right decision. The parents will suffer enough.

Dwayne

PROPLESS PROPULSION SYSTEMS - Act, Inc., Dura Jet- Interesting Safety Product?

The website says: The Goal of ACT Is To Provide The Professional Maritime Community With A Unique Propless Pump Jet Propulsion System For Use When There Is An Expectation Of People And Equipment In The Water.

Autopsy: Coast Guard diver fell too far - Hill / Duque / Healy Diving Accident

SEATTLE -- One of two Coast Guard divers from Florida who mysteriously perished during a training dive in the Arctic this past summer plunged toward the ocean floor in an uncontrolled descent, suffocated and developed lung trauma during a rapid rise to the surface, an autopsy report concludes.

Man's cruise death puzzling

A 76-year-old Tarpon Springs man died aboard the Carnival Liberty cruise ship during a trans-Atlantic journey in which a norovirus outbreak sickened 679 passengers and crew with diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps and faintness.

Tragedy on the bay is still a mystery

A month after a violent boating accident on Biscayne Bay, the probe into its cause continues, while those who survived try to mend -- physically and mentally.This was a really bad one. Dwayne

Mechanical problem might have led to boating tragedy

Investigators found two mechanical "issues" Tuesday that may have helped doom a family fishing outing, while a heartbroken Eric Singleton returned to Lake Yale near Eustis to guide divers searching the murky waters for his son and daughter. One of the problems was a bad cable that affected a device used to dip the vessel's outboard motor into the water and control the motor's angle, said Kat Kelley, a spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The motor was stuck in the "up" position.

More than 700 fall sick on cruise ship

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - More than 700 passengers and crew members aboard a trans-Atlantic cruise have fallen ill with flu-like symptoms, cruise line officials said. Dwayne

Fishing trip hooks nothing but trouble

Two men spent part of Thursday morning stranded on a buoy in chilly Escambia Bay waters.Gary Brown, 51, of Gulf Breeze, and Kenny Powell, 50, of Pensacola, were found shortly before 10 a.m. Thursday by a Coast Guard helicopter as one of them waved a shirt as an SOS. Brown was the boat captain. Both men were well, officials said.

Children Missing After Boat Crash

Two children in Lake County, Fla., were missing early Monday after a family of five crashed their boat and were thrown into the water, according to Local 6 News. Authorities said a man, his wife and three children, ages 2, 8 and 3 months, were boating on Lake Yale in the Eustis area Sunday night when the boat crashed and sank. After being thrown into the water, the father grabbed his 3-month-old and swam to shore to get help. When a neighbor went back to the scene, the mother was on shore but the two children were missing.

Orem couple presumed dead in boating accident - Cathryn Springer Roundy and Steven Lloyd Roundy,

STRAWBERRY RESERVOIR - An Orem husband and wife who disappeared Wednesday morning after their boat capsized here are now presumed dead.

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Cold water and no life jackets.

Dwayne

Olympia Tug Races

Neat Photographs - Semper Paratus

If you want to see some awesome photographs look here.

Dwayne

Developer Roland Rogers blames SELF for crash

By Rogers' account, he made three key errors:

Mistake No. 1: As he approached the pass, he was going too fast, about 25 mph.

Mistake No. 2: He left his Global Positioning System in the garage. He usually uses it to help him navigate.

Mistake No. 3: He left his spotlight in the glove compartment of the boat.

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Personal Responsibility.

Dwayne

Junk Boats in Florida

Authorities blame a combination of factors for the increase in trashed boats, from the eight hurricanes that have hit Florida in recent years, to boaters being pushed out of a dwindling number of marinas to a fuzzy definition of junked boat.

The problem is compounded by a boom in boat ownership that has outpaced the population growth. Florida now boasts the country's largest boating population, hitting a record of 1-million last year.

Michael LaFave case - update

A defense attorney lost his bid to exclude from trial an expert witness and new evidence provided by the father of the Brighton Township man killed in a June 2005 boating accident on Zukey Lake.

Defense attorney Bruce Saperstein said Assistant Prosecutor Daniel Rose provided the new evidence — maps and aerial photographs of the lake and the location of the collision that killed Michael LaFave, 27 — too long after filing charges against his client.

Dwayne

Daniel Burkett - Update on fatal boating accident, community mourns

An arraignment date is set for the ski-boat operator, Steven Ettlin, 22, of San Juan Capistrano, who was charged with vehicular manslaughter with a vessel while intoxicated. Ettlin will be arraigned in Butte County Superior Court on November 17, and a preliminary hearing date will be determined later.

There were three young adults (two males and one female) on board the rented ski-boat and another young man on a wakeboard in the water when the accident happened. Ettlin was operating the boat, which was pulling the wake-boarder. Burkett was on vacation with his friends at Lake Oroville and they had rented a ski-boat.

When the wake-boarder fell, Ettlin cut the throttle, which abruptly slowed the boat when Burkett fell overboard and into the water, said Deputy District Attorney Christopher Carlos. The boat continued to move and ran over Burkett. "Alcohol was involved," Carlos said.

Dwayne

Thomas Street school mourns loss of principa - Deborah Macdonald - in boating accident on dam

Deborah Macdonald, 53, principal of the school for four years, suffered serious injuries when her boat drifted over a 3-foot-high cement dam on Loon Lake in Kearney, near Huntsville, at roughly 3:30 p.m.

Dwayne

Coast Guard Budget Needs to be Dramatically Increased - Security is Wearing it Thin - Workboat Magazine

From WorkBoat Magazine

Balancing Act

The Coast Guard must juggle traditional missions with new security duties.

By Pamela Glass, Washington Correspondent

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The Coast Guard Needs More Money Before something bad happens.

Dwayne

Teen Faces Sentencing In Keys Boating Death

The 13-year-old driver of a boat which struck and killed a 6-year-old snorkeler has pleaded no-contest in the death, and will be sentenced next month on a charge of vessel homicide. His family also faces a $20 million lawsuit in the death.

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Tragic…

Dwayne

Boating class at HHS dedicated to Emily Harding

Three Hendersonville High School marketing students plan on making boating safety a priority for everyone in the city, starting with the students at their school.

This is a great idea.

Dwayne

Miami Columbus Day Boating Accident - 2 Lawsuits at least to follow

COLUMBUS DAY WEEKEND CRASH

2nd suit expected in boat crash

Two lawsuits seek damages related to a tragic Columbus Day weekend boat crash. One suit accuses a boat-rental company's teenage employee of drinking before the accident.

Dwayne

Dubai Ports executive knocks U.S. port security law

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An executive with Dubai Ports World, the Arab-owned firm whose purchase of American port facilities caused an uproar this year, on Tuesday said a new U.S. port security law was fundamentally inadequate.

"There's a fundamental shortcoming in the SAFE Port Act," said David Sanborn, Dubai Ports World's managing director of the Americas. "It's not ambitious enough."

Dwayne

Barge explosion death toll mounts: Kenneth J. Rink, 51, of Berwick; John J. Mire Jr., 59, of Patterson; and Terry Abraham, 36

October 17, 2006 Coast Guard Calls Off Search for Pipeline Explosion Victims

A crane on the deck of a barge is blackened by the fire that erupted after a pipeline explosion in West Cote Blanche Bay on Thursday about 100 miles southwest of New Orleans.

CYPREMORT POINT - The death toll in Thursday's natural gas explosion in West Cote Blanche Bay climbed to four Friday and is expected to result in a total of six dead, officials said.

Local authorities on Friday continued their search for the missing, now deemed a "recovery effort" while federal authorities investigated the reasons behind the explosion that occurred when a tugboat carrying two barges struck an underwater gas pipeline.

Gas flow was shut off to the pipeline, but Coast Guard Lt. Rick Foster said there was still concern of another explosion if some gas remained in the line. Divers were to examine the site to determine whether a "spud" from one of the barges -- a metal extension used to halt the vessel -- might have pinched the pipeline, Foster said. The barge was still in place at the site.

The tugboat captain was found dead late Thursday in the wheelhouse of the boat, and search crews found the body of a fourth man Friday morning floating about 2 miles from the scene of the accident, said Iberia Parish Sheriff Sid Hebert.

Two crew members survived — one with burns and one without injury — and two other crew members remained missing as of sunset Friday.

Dwayne

Rescuers search for 2 missing after deadly La. pipeline blast - Towboat Hits Gas Pipeline - Tug hits gas line 4 killed - 2 missing in Louisiana

JEANERETTE, La. (AP) — Searchers held out hope Friday that three people missing following a deadly natural gas pipeline explosion in Louisiana's West Cote Blanche Bay would be found alive.Three others were killed in the Thursday afternoon explosion, two miles off shore and about 100 miles southwest of New Orleans. One person was badly burned.

Emergency crews were alerted to the explosion about 12:30 p.m. by someone on the shore who reported seeing 100-foot flames in the waters off Cypremort Point.

“We interviewed one boat operator 3 1/2 miles away who felt the explosion on his face,” said Iberia Parish Sheriff Sid Hebert. Hebert said rescue boats in the area went to the scene soon after the explosion and pulled four workers from the water.

The NTSB says:

“The National Transportation Safety Board has sent a team of five investigators to the scene of a fire involving a towboat with two barges and a natural gas pipeline in West Cote Blanche Bay near Morgan City, LA.

The accident occurred on October 12, about 11:00 a.m. (CDT), when a piling dropped from one of the barges and struck a submerged high-pressure gas line, causing the line to rupture and catch fire. Preliminary information is that three people were killed and three are missing.

This will be a joint investigation with the U.S. Coast Guard. The NTSB Investigator-in-Charge is Morgan Turrell.”

4th Body Found After Pipeline Fire; Search On For 2 Still Missing  (Update)

Coast Guard Update

 

Dwayne

Parents To File Suit In Regatta Boating Death - James Noel-Pou and Monica Burguera - Attorney Stuart Z. Grossman for the Plaintiffs

Parents To File Suit In Regatta Boating Death James Noel-Pou and Monica Burguera were killed Details of lawsuit released at 2pm news conference

"These boaters paid Club Nautico extra for a skipper and they got a 16-year old? To send these people out with a teenager and call him a captain is negligent," attorney Stuart Grossman told our news partners at The Miami Herald

The attorney for the plaintiff alleges that the teenage boat captain was drinking before the crash.

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The speed of the filing of this lawsuit is no big surprise.  It is also the right thing to do. 

Mistakes were clearly made by multiple parties and the Court will be helpful in sorting this out.  The suit will give the litigants, and the Court,  the ability to take control of and inspect the subject boats for defects and physical damage, that may have contributed to the accident.  The evidence will be preserved for expert analysis.  Finding the truth in this will be challenging for those involved.

Although the case will largely be about money damages there are larger policy and social questions that need to be addressed.  This type of suit often does drive legislation or regulatory changes that make boating safer. 

Hopefully, this Columbus Day Regatta will become safer so that no more parents lose their children to preventable acts of negligence. 

Dwayne

 

Flags of Our Fathers (Sons and Daughters)

U.S. Marines carry the casket of Lance Cpl. Christopher Cosgrove III from Saint Vincent Martyr Church after funeral services in Madison, N.J., on Wednesday.

 

Navy Seal Hero (Michael Monsoor)….   Here is his profile.

 

Flags still drape the coffins of those who protect our freedoms… let us never forget……

Stempien / Rutherford Lake Huron Boating Mystery

A former model and her boyfriend vanished during a boating trip on Lake Huron. Now more than a year later, there are new developments as the search for answers has their families locked in a bitter battle

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We posted on this months ago and it looks like there remains hope for this case to be solved yet.

Dwayne

Monica Burguera - James Noel-Pou - Columbus Day Regatta - Miami Boating Accident Victims

Columbus Day Regatta

Boat propellers killed two friends -Miami Columbus Day Regatta Boating Accident - Monica Burguera - James Noel-Pou

 Boat propellers killed two friends

The two boaters who were killed in a crash on Biscayne Bay over the weekend died of massive head injuries.

The two young people who perished in a weekend boating accident on Biscayne Bay were killed by the propellers of the powerboat that slammed into their rental.

The cause of death for both is the same: massive injuries to the head, the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner's Office said Wednesday. Although the investigation into the boat crash is far from complete, the autopsies offer graphic details of the horrific accident.

They also indicate the boat that struck the victims might have been traveling so fast it became airborne, either flying low over the victims' boat, or its propellers landing inside it.

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This is a terrible accident that we have posted on below.  It makes one wonder whether this particular event can ever be held in a safe manner for all boaters.  Surely there were mistakes made and the message is clear that boating can be fun but also dangerous and deadly.  What  a shame.

Dwayne

The Trawler Gaul

A reader brought this vessel to our attention.  It is believed the Gaul sank on 8 February 1974.

An official report later that year concluded the ship had been swamped by heavy seas.

Over the past 30 years a series of investigations have revealed two alternative theories on the Gaul's fate.

Some believe the trawler was captured by the Soviets because it had spies on board. In 2004 rumours emerged that a British submarine became entangled in the vessel's nets and dragged it underwater.

Successive governments have denied that the trawler was involved in espionage.

In August 1997, an expedition funded by UK and Norwegian television companies found, and positively identified the wreck of Gaul 70 miles to the north of Norway's North Cape.

Following the subsequent showing of the documentary on UK television, the Deputy Prime Minister asked the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) whether it was possible to determine the cause of sinking from this new material. The MAIB reviewed the available footage, and concluded that a more detailed examination of the wreck would be required to make any such judgement. The Deputy Prime Minister therefore directed the MAIB to conduct an underwater survey of the wreck and report on its findings.

There is a lot of information on the internet about the ship, her loss and the possible causes of her loss.   See also.

Let us know if you have information about this fascinating case.

Dwayne

James Noel-Pou and Monica Burguera - Miami Columbus Day Regatta Boating Accident

This is a very sad case.   (text, photo and video report linked)

This press release (Columbus Day Weekend Safety Concerns) was put out by the US Coast Guard on October 4, 2006 before the accident.  Boating at night under these circumstances can be challenging and dangerous.

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Dwayne

Miami Boating Accident - One Dead, One Missing After Boating Accident - Monica Burguera died - James Noel-Pou confirmed dead.

Pre-birthday cruise turns deadly.  The boat that hit these young people was seen as “It literally went right over the top of the boat, cleaning everything off the gunnel”

Above photo from this linked news articles.

Body may be that of missing boat accident victim. (Video reports)

Police Confirm Body Recovered Is James Noel

MIAMI -- Two boats collided over the weekend, killing a 20-year-old college student, leaving seven others seriously injured and one man missing, authorities said Sunday.

Monica Burguera, of 1155 Brickell Bay Drive, was in a boat at about 10:30 p.m. with seven other people aboard. They were being towed by another boat near the Rickenbacker Causeway between Miami and Key Biscayne.

The accident occurred when a powerboat crashed into a boat carrying eight Florida International University students, The Miami Herald said. The students' boat was allegedly rented and did not have working lights, the Herald said.

Dwayne

Attention Iwo Jima Vets

The Orlando Sentinel wants to take you to a screening of Flags of Our Fathers. Click on "Attention Iwo Jima Vets" above for the link to the Sentinel. I ran the Marine Corp Half Marathon in Jacksonville this morning. It was good to see Marines young and old in the race and at the event. This is a great idea by the Orlando Sentinel. Dwayne

Vietnam Coasties
Coast Guard Warriors who Served in Vietnam

Flags of Our Fathers - Iwo Jima - Thanks to those who fought and died...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been reading Flags of Our Fathers.  It is an excellent book that is being made into a movie by Clint Eastwood.  Official site here.The story, for the most part, tells the tale of the men who raised an American Flag at Iwo Jima during the battle for that island.  The flag raising and the photograph have an interesting history.  The real story in the book is of the heros that fought and died on the island.

The battle was fought largely by U.S. Marines, on the island, but it is also a maritime battle involving the Navy (some 800 ships and Seabees) (flag raiser John Bradly was a Navy Corpsman) and the Coast Guard.

After reading the book I have a whole new appreciation for those (from any military service) that fought there and any of the Battles of World War II.

The book tell us that following the Battle for Iwo Jima the United States left behind the largest Pacific cemetery for US fighting men.  Nearly 6,800 died and were buried there. 

Outside the cemetery someone wrote:

When you go home ; Tell them for us and say; For your tomorrow ;  We gave our today……  Flags of Our Fathers p.376

If you (or your family members were there) we say thank you for your service and sacrifice for our Country.  

I am certain that  this World and our lives are different and better as a result of these sacrifices.

Sincerely,

Dwayne Clark

 

PS The years have taken a toll on the veterans. It is estimated that about 1,000 U.S. veterans of World War II die each day, and as their numbers shrink, reunions and commemorations mean a little bit more.

5 rescued after boat capsizes

Harassed by small sharks and repeatedly pulled back to sea, two men hugged each other to keep warm and drank water and soft drinks to stay hydrated during nearly 24 hours at sea before their rescue Sunday.

Good ending to this one.

Dwayne

Venice / Lamon Bay Florida Boating Accident - Eight people hurt in boat collision

VENICE, Fla. — Eight people were injured Wednesday night, two critically, when two pleasure boats collided near the South Venice boat ramp, according to a report by FLORIDA TODAY news partner Tampa Bay's 10 News.

Update on the case.

Dwayne

Twin Brother Wants Justice For Grand Lake Hit And Run Victim - Grand Lake Boating Death - Murray McGarvey

Charges to be filed against two in this incident.

Drinking may have been involved.  Causation will be the key??

The twin brother of man killed in a Grand Lake boat wreck spoke out in August for the first time. 35-year-old Murray McGarvey was killed in nighttime hit and run over the summer. He was at Grand Lake on vacation from his home in Georgia.

Late news

There may be new info coming out soon on this case.

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We have posted on this case before.

Dwayne

Mark deTournillon sentenced to 15 years in prison

A Bedford County judge has sentenced Mark de Tournillon to 15 years in prison for a deadly boating accident.

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From the outside this seems like a fairly just result.  I am sure it is not much consolation to the families.

Dwayne

"Thank God and the United States Coast Guard..."

7 survive two nights on life raft

‘Thank God and the United States Coast Guard’

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There is a happy ending to this one…..

Dwayne

Young Woman Dies After Boat, Freighter Collide In Sound - Gina Bortolotti - Sailing Vessel - Essence - Barkald

Gina Bortolotti, crew member on the wrecked sailing yacht Essence, wasn't alone in the pre-dawn hours Wednesday, her final hours. She floated in Long Island Sound as another of the three-member crew, her fiance Nardus Bothma, fought to keep her unconscious body at the surface.

http://www.bluegina.com (Gina’s site)

Sailboat Beauty ( The New York Post)

Dwayne

Hill - Duque - Healy - What Killed Divers Under Ice?

The Coast Guard has started two investigations, relieved the Healy's captain, pulled all diving equipment off the ship for examination, and suspended all polar diving. Nothing has been said about what might have killed Hill, 31, and Duque, 22, on Aug. 17, or when the investigations will conclude.

We have found that it is not unusual for the Coast Guard to withhold information about investigations until it concludes its findings.  It must be frustrating for the families but hopefully in the end there will be a thorough investigation that will shed light on the cause of this tragic event and allow the families some closure. 

Dwayne

Woman killed when sailboat, tanker collide - the Essence

A woman aboard a 92-foot, Greenwich-bound sailboat was killed yesterday morning when the vessel collided with a 600-foot freighter in the eastern Long Island Sound, U.S. Coast Guard officials said.

The freighter crew in the fatal collision tested negative for alcohol.

Dwayne

Houston Firm To Assist In Grand Lake Boating Accident Investigation

 

GROVE, Okla. (AP) -- An engineering firm will attempt to create a computer-generated simulation of a Grand Lake boating collision that killed a Georgia man.

ATA Associates Inc. of Houston will be at the lake September 26-27 to inspect the two boats involved in the crash and take measurements, said Bryce Lair, a Delaware County assistant district attorney.

Prosecutors are trying to determine whether criminal charges should be filed in connection with the July 30 collision that killed Murray McGarvey, 35, of Brunswick, Georgia.

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ATA Associates can be found here.  http://www.ataassociates.com/Marine.htm

Dwayne

Officials may never know cause of fatal boat crash on Texoma

 The investigation into a Labor Day weekend boat crash that killed five people has all but ended without a determination of who or what was to blame, Oklahoma authorities said Monday.

Investigators have looked for clues in salvaged pieces of the two high-performance boats that collided on Lake Texoma, but evidence was inconclusive, said Oklahoma State Highway Patrol Trooper Kera Philippi.

"Investigators may never know if the collision

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Sounds as if there was not enough evidence left to determine the cause.  Without good eye witnesses this report may be correct.  They may never know the cause of the accident.

Dwayne

Marine and Boating Deaths from NTSB

Marine deaths showed a slight increase from 765 in 2004 to 769 in 2005. Recreational boating deaths, the largest marine category, jumped to 697 from 676, while cargo transport fatalities dropped substantially to 12 in 2005 from 26 in 2004.

Dwayne

Parties settle in boating lawsuit - Deadly Boat Crash

Mark de Tournillon Sr., who pleaded guilty to causing the boat wreck that killed a Moneta couple last year, agreed Friday to a substantial $2.75 million settlement with the estates of Lawrence and Judith Lewis.

Although most of that amount will be paid by insurance companies, de Tournillon intends to pay $250,000 out of the proceeds from the sale of his business, Shoreline Marina. The business has not yet been sold, said William Stanley, one of de Tournillon's defense lawyers.

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This case is indicative of the high costs of boating accidents…in human life and money damages.

Dwayne

Michael LaFave - Trial adjourned in fatal boating accident

As expected, the trial for a Hamburg Township man accused of killing a Brighton Township man in a 2005 boating accident on Zukey Lake was adjourned Thursday to allow the prosecutor to get an expert's report on "newly provided evidence."

Also, there is a newly discovered witness who was on the Hamburg Township lake at the time of the July 23, 2005, accident that killed Michael LaFave, 27. The witness' identity and what the witness knows about the accident was not released.

Dwayne

Speed of boats in deadly crash estimated at 100 mph

By The Associated Press

A witness to a boat crash on Lake Texoma that killed five people estimated the two high-performance boats were traveling at close to 100 miles per hour when they collided, an investigator said Tuesday.

 

Dwayne

The plan offered by Democratic leader Harry Reid would have bolstered security on trains and buses and at chemical plants. Republicans charged it would have slowed efforts to improve security at the nation's ports.

We need a lot more help with the security of our ports.  Lets hope this bill has some teeth in it and that our ports are made safe before we have a serious attack.

Dwayne

Langley Brown Jr. and Langley Brown III - Death by Boating Accident - Florida is the Deadliest

As they raced across Lake Louise on a sunny afternoon to catch what they hoped would be a trophy bass, disaster struck Langley Brown Jr. and Langley Brown III.

The father and son were killed this summer the way authorities say too many Florida boaters die. Carelessness and unsafe speed were to blame, common factors behind the boating accidents that make Florida the deadliest state for recreational boating, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Dwayne

Ethan Allen Saga and Litigation Continues

Its name covered with duct tape, the trailered Ethan Allen tour boat rolled south on the Northway Tuesday to a temporary home in storage, as it awaits possible tests related to what could be months of civil litigation over its capsizing.

Dwayne

Texoma Speed Boat Crash Investigation Inconclusive - Lake Texoma - Texhoma

Authorities say they may never know if excessive speed played a role in the Sept. 2 collision between two jet boats on Lake Texoma that killed five people, including four from Texas.

Dwayne

Tragic accident takes life of Dan Clark - Life jacket??

A tragedy occurred Friday when a fishing trip to Steinhatchee by a well known Suwannee County couple turned bad, with Daniel (Dan) Clark losing his life to drowning. The Clarks are residents of the Wellborn community.

Dwayne

Focus on Legality of Poker Runs - Texhoma - Texoma - Boat Collision

9-6-06 - Investigators are still talking to witnesses as the try to recreate the boating accident that killed five people on Lake Texoma, but attention has also focused on the poker run that deadly day, and whether they are legal at all in Texas.

Authorities say that alcohol was probably not a factor in this tragic accident.

Dwayne

Fisherman hopes to keep found boat - Salvage Law?

For one area fisherman, it could end up being the brightest spot of an otherwise dismal fishing season or one of the all-time best stories of the one that didn’t get away.

 

McKinney family mourns after fatal boat collision - Texoma Poker Run Boat Collision

MCKINNEY - While visitors continued to enjoy Lake Texoma the day after the accident that claimed five lives Saturday, Bruce Lane's day in McKinney was far from normal. Lane's son, 25-year-old Justin Lane, and his son's wife, 31-year-old Amy Lane, were both passengers on the "Flash Gordon," which was one of the boats involved in the high-speed fatal collision.  Here is news on a memorial service for the young couple. Dwayne

Speedboat collision investigated - Lake Texhoma Poker Run - Collision Deaths

WILLIS (AP) -- Investigators were trying to determine Sunday why two high-performance boats collided while participating in a "poker run" on Lake Texoma, killing five people, including a well-known former race car driver.

Oklahoma Lake Patrol investigators plan to reconstruct the two boats in an attempt to gather clues to how and why they collided Saturday, Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Kera Philippi said.

"They're going to investigate the mechanics of both boats, too, and not just focus on whether it was driver error," Philippi said. "The driver of the second boat is still alive, so they're going to want to talk to him."

Deaths cut Coast Guard cutter mission short - Healy - Hill - Duque

Deaths cut Coast Guard cutter mission short
Somber crew brings Healy to home port

By LARRY LANGE
P-I REPORTER

The Coast Guard cutter Healy returned to its Seattle home port Sunday, weeks early, and things will not be the same.

Coast Guard skipper out over 2 diving deaths

The Coast Guard relieved the skipper of the Seattle-based icebreaker Healy of command Wednesday as it continues an investigation into the deaths of two divers from the ship.

In replacing Capt. Douglas Russell, Vice Adm. Charles Wurster, who commands all Coast Guard operations in the Pacific from San Francisco headquarters, said he had "a loss of confidence in the officer's ability to command."

 

BM2 Steven Duque and Lt Jessica Hill - Coast Guard Cutter Healy - Divers Lost in the Line of Duty

BM2 Duque swears the oath on Healy’s forecastle as LT Hill administers his reenlistment.  Lt. Jessica Hill swears in Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Steven Duque during a re-enlistment ceremony the week of July 30 on the Coast Guard polar icebreaker Healy. Both died in an accident Aug. 17 while performing dive operations. — U.S. Coast Guard

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DUQUE AND HILL WE WISH YOU GODSPEED

More on Duque (Fearless)and (Dedicated)

Update on Duque (the more I read about these Coasties the more I am in awe of who they were as people)

'Grant Them Fair Winds And Following Seas On Their Final Journey'

"So to Jessica and Steven," said prior CGC Healy Commanding Officer Dan Oliver, "I tell you, you are going to be missed dearly. Lord, I thank you for the opportunity to know Jessica and Steven. And watch out for our fallen shipmates."

This is an update on BM2 Duque and his memorial service. Apparently he was an extraordinary Coast Guardsman too. 

This an update (video attached) on the memorial service for Lt. Hill. Regardless of the cause of this incident, I think both families should be proud of what their loved ones gave to this Country.

FALLEN COAST GUARD OFFICER TO BE HONORED TODAY

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Two Coast Guard divers assigned to the Seattle-based Coast Guard Cutter Healy died Thursday afternoon during a routine dive operation in the Arctic Ocean approximately 500 miles north of Barrow, Alaska.

Deceased are Lt. Jessica Hill, 30, of St. Augustine, Fla., and Petty Officer 2nd Class Steven Duque, 26, of Miami.

The victim’s next of kin have been notified and additional support services are being provided to each family, as well as Healy crewmembers.

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It seems clear from reports that Hill and Duque loved their work on the Cutter Healy.

When something like this happens the sense of loss goes far and wide.   I personally spent four years in the Coast Guard.  When any member of our small service was lost it seemed to permeate the entire service.  It appears that things have not changed much as the Commandant and other high ranking officers have expressed their sorrow.

While I still served the Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn was lost.  One of my former shipmates died on that Cutter. 

Many in “The Guard” have perished in peace and war.

May we never forget our lost shipmates and the sacrifices they made.

Dwayne Clark

 

NTSB CHAIRMAN SAYS SAFETY SHOULD BE WATCHWORD THIS LABOR DAY

 

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NTSB PRESS RELEASE

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National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 31, 2006

SB-06-48

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NTSB CHAIRMAN SAYS SAFETY SHOULD BE WATCHWORD THIS LABOR DAY

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - With the nation about to celebrate its last major holiday of the summer, National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Mark V. Rosenker reminded everyone that "safety should be the watchword this Labor Day weekend.

"Labor Day weekend is one of the busiest periods of time for highway travel. Last year, deaths on our roadways rose to their highest level in 15 years. It is imperative that we all observe posted speed limits, buckle up everyone in the car, and never mix alcohol with motor vehicle operation."

Highway transportation accounts for more than 90 percent of all transportation fatalities in the United States. The NTSB has long advocated a series of safety improvements for highway travel, some of which have become law nationally, including mandatory seat belt laws (in every State except New Hampshire), age-21 drinking laws and child restraints.

Other initiatives still awaiting full enactment in the States, which are on the Board's Most Wanted list of safety improvements, include graduated drivers licenses, laws governing persistent drunk drivers, primary seat belt laws and booster seats for children 4 to 8 years old. These are among Most Wanted issues that will be discussed at the Board's public meeting next Wednesday, September 6.

Chairman Rosenker also reminded boaters to wear personal flotation devices. An average of 714 boaters die each year; 508 of those are by drowning. The U.S. Coast Guard estimates that about 84 percent of those drowning victims would still be alive if they had worn PFDs.

A selection of safety alerts covering boating and highway transportation can be found on the Board's website at http://ntsb.gov/alerts/alerts.htm.

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NTSB Media Contact: Ted Lopatkiewicz

(202) 314-6100

lopatt@ntsb.gov

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Be safe out there boaters.  Every major holiday we see many catastrophic injuries and deaths on boats.  Keep alert, wear your life jacket and wait to have the alcohol until you return ashore.

Have a fun weekend!

Dwayne

Ernesto

 

 

 

 

 

Boaters should remain vigilant as warned by the Coast Guard

Dwayne

Bloglines - Coast Guard Urges Mariners to Stay Informed of Changing Weather Conditions

Bloglines user Lawboat (lawboat@comcast.net) has sent this item to you.

Boating - Topix.net News on Boating from Topix.net

Coast Guard Urges Mariners to Stay Informed of Changing Weather Conditions With Tropical Storm Ernesto constantly changing and quickly approaching the southern United States, Florida's maritime community and boating public are strongly urged to monitor the storm's progress and make ...