Fatal boat accident is a mystery - unlit channel marker

Two men in a boat that slammed into a marker buoy in Victoria's southeast were killed instantly by the force of the crash, Victoria police say. The impact punched a large hole in the bow of the 5.4 metre runabout, which was taking on water circling under its own throttle when it was found at Lakes Entrance just after midnight, a spokesman said. Authorities say it is still a mystery how the two men, aged 35 and 36, failed to notice the buoy which was well marked on marine and boating maps.

Unlit channel markers can be very hazardous. Many are not required to be lit.

Dwayne

Gasparilla Boaters Beware; Officers Out to Scuttle Drunken Pirates

TAMPA, Fla. - More than 50 law-enforcement officers, including crews from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department, will partner to keep local waterways safe during the upcoming Gasparilla Day celebration. Law-enforcement officers will provide educational information to boaters, conduct safety inspections afloat and target boaters operating watercraft under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Keep it clean.

Dwayne

Coast Guard Charges Tug Captain in McTeer Bridge Allision

From Coast Guard News

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Coast Guard completed its preliminary investigation into the allision between the crane barge towed by the Sara Kaitlin and the McTeer Bridge near Beaufort, S.C., April 26, 2007. The Coast Guard charged Captain Wright Gres, the operator of the Sara Kaitlin at the time of the accident, with negligence and misconduct. Specifically, the Coast Guard charged that the Captain: (1) did not take due care to ensure the boom could safely pass beneath the bridge, (2) operated beyond the scope of his license and (3) failed to immediately report the collision, as required by Coast Guard regulations. As part of the settlement agreement approved by an Administrative Law Judge, Gres agreed to a six month suspension of his license and will attend a Coast Guard approved Bridge Resource Management class.

Fallen Coast Guardsmen Remembered

 

Fallen Coast Guardsmen Remembered.

Crown Princess - NTSB: Crew to Blame for Tilting Ship

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Improper training and bad steering by a Princess Cruises ship's second officer caused the vessel to tilt suddenly in 2006, injuring almost 300 people, the National Transportation Safety Board determined Thursday. The NTSB said the Crown Princess' captain and crew failed to realize how fast they were going in shallow water, which threw the ship off course. The second officer disengaged autopilot to correct it, then steered the wrong way, the board determined

Jacksonville Officer Nearly Killed in Crash Wins Settlement

By Kristin Smith First Coast News JACKSONVILLE, FL -- One of the JSO officers hurt in a Super Bowl boat crash has now reached a settlement with the state. James Burnet was helping provide security for the game in Jacksonville in 2005. His boat crashed into concrete pilings along the Fuller Warren bridge, leaving him with a broken neck and severe facial injuries.

Iranian Boats Approach USN Ships

BAHRAIN (NNS) -- Following a routine transit through the Strait of Hormuz, Jan. 6, three U.S. Navy ships operating in international waters in the Persian Gulf were approached by five Iranian small boats that demonstrated irresponsible confrontational behavior near the U.S. ships, according to the Navy.

video of incident here: http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4104881