Media coverage of 2009 recreational boat propeller accidents.

If you are aware of coverage of a 2009 propeller accident that is not reported here, please contact us.

Fatal accidents are coded immediately in front of the reporting data as:
D indicates the first coverage on this page of a U.S. fatality occurring this year
D indicates a fatality outside the U.S.

• 1 Jan 2010 Northern Star (New South Wales Australia) “Two Men Hurt When Hit by Boat Propeller” reports two men from Tweed Head were on Mobbs Bay at South Ballina on Wednesday 30 December 2009 in a 3.6 meter runabout towing another man on a tube. The tow rope broke and the two men were thrown overboard. Both were “run over and hit by the propeller”. They were taken to the boat ramp at Ballina Sailing Club. The 38 year old male with “severe shoulder and leg injuries” went by ambulance to Lismore Base Hospital and the 36 year old male was taken to Ballina Hospital for a cut in his head.
• D 26 December 2009 Yachte.com (Australia) “NSW Maritime Call For Extra Caution Following the Loss of Two Lives” reports a 45 year old male from Canberra was swimming across the Murray River in the Murray Island Region near Moama on Christmas Eve (24 December). He was hit by a ski boat and struck by its propeller. He was life flighted to Melbourne and died later the same day from those injuries.
• 24 December 2009 Sportal.com.au (Australia) “Ottens Injured in Accident” reports Brad Ottens, ruckman for the Geelong Cats (Australian Football) was waterskiing in Echuca (a rural town in Victoria) on Tuesday December 22, when he contacted the propeller and “suffered two cut extensor tendons in his right hand” and also sustained cuts on his elbow and leg.
  Other reports indicate he was on holiday there with his fiancee when the accident occurred.
• 13 Dec 2009 AIRBOAT – CBS4 (Miami Dade FL) “Man’s Leg Severed in Airboat Crash” reports two airboats crashed into each about 30 miles west of Krome Avenue. Five people were injured including a South Florida man in his twenties who “fell into the propeller which severed his leg.” Two helicopters were dispatched. The injured were raised by cables up to the helicopters.
• 9 December 2009 Great Lakes Advocate (Australia) “Hailed a Hero” Boy, 12, Leads Boat Rescue” reports four people were returning back to Coomba Park after a boat trip to Pacific Palms about 4 pm Saturday 5 December. Someone’s hat blew in, the boat turned around too sharp to retrieve it, and all four occupants were ejected. The unmanned boat started to circle. A boy at the park celebrating his 12th birthday helped two of the women that fell overboard to safety while the boat continued to circle close by. The boat’s owner “got a two centimetre gash to the head from the propeller and broke his leg..” The boat passed over the other man three times “and it clipped his ear.”
• D 6 December 2009 Accident Date (note this may actually be a Dec 2010 accident, news account has a problem with year) – 11 January 2010 (or 2011) Pattaya Day News (Thailand) “Russian Tourist Killed in Tragic Speedboat Accident Off Koh Larn” reports a Russian was diving at Koh Larn iff Tah Yau Beach midday Monday 6 December. He was hit by the propeller of a speedboat (the “Kantarat 409”). Divers quickly found his body about 300 yards offshore. The man had severe lacerations to his torso and legs.
• D 14 October 2009 FijiVillage.com (Fiji) “Tourist Killed After Hit by Boat Propeller” reports A 49 year old American male on vacation in Fiji was diving in Qamea waters this morning (14 Nov) when a fiberglass boat passed over him. He was struck in the head by its propeller and killed instantly. Crime scene officers and pathologists from Suva were flown to Taveuni to investigate the accident.
• D 5 October 2009 KITV (Honolulu Hawaii) “Autopsy Finds Teen Died From Propeller Injuries” reports Keahihoku Lum, 17 year male old senior in high school, was diving with friends in Maunalua Bay near the Kalanianaole Highway Bridge on Sunday 4 October. A fishing boat ran over him, stopped to help and took him to shore, he was taken to a hospital in critical condition and later died. “Lum died of traumatic injuries to his chest and abdomen, caused by the boat’s propeller” per the medical examiner.
• 19 September 2009 Tampa Bay Online (Florida) “Man’s Arm Nearly Severed by Boat Propeller” reports T. Demaree, male age 65 from Clearwater, was in a 17 foot center console boat headed eastbound about 1:30pm today (19 Sept) through Johns Pass near Madeira Beach. The steering cable broke, the boat turned hard to the right, Demaree was ejected, and the boat started circling. He was hit and “the propeller nearly severed Demaree’s left arm.” Two other passengers were not injured. A TowboatUS vessel was following behind them responding to another call.
• 15 September 2009 KSAX-TV (Minnesota) “Man Loses Control of Fishing Boat, Hits Propeller and Only Suffers Cuts on his Back” reports D. Lasso, 47 year old male from St. Joseph, was alone in his 16 foot fishing boat on Eden Lake about 2 miles northeast of Eden Valley on Sunday, 13 September. He lost control of the boat, was ejected without a life jacket, and struck by the propeller.
• 9 September 2009 Gravehurst Banner (Ontario Canada) “Child Hurt in Boating Mishap”reports a six year old girl was water skiing on Wood Lake near Vankoughnet on Friday afternoon September 4th. The boat, being operated by her grandfather, was powered by a 9.9 horsepower Mercury outboard. The young girl fell water skiing, her grandfather was attempting to get her back on board with his other granddaughter, and “the boat’s propeller became lodged in her leg”. When firefighters arrived, the boat was tied to the dock and the grandfather had pulled the motor from the water with the girl still stuck to it. The motor and girl were still in the boat. Firefighters removed the prop from the motor and left it stuck in her leg to minimize bleeding. She was life flighted to the “Hospital for Sick Children” in Toronto.
  This is one of several propeller entrapment accidents the last few years.
• 9 September 2009 Petoskey News Review (Michigan) “Boat Propeller Injures Woman” reports J.M. Drenth, a 20 year old female from, Ellsworth, was wake boarding on Six Mile Lake on Tuesday 8 September. Three of her family members were on a 17 foot 1987 Rinker boat. The boat operator (mother of the young woman in the water) moved the boat forward to remove slack from the line, then began to accelerate and turn. The operator was then unable to stop the boat and ran over her daughter who was stuck by the propeller. Officers were called slightly after 2 pm to the boat ramp on Miles Road just north of the Antrim County line. She was taken to Charlevoix Area Hospital.

September 2009 – Labor Day

• 6 September 2009 Grand Rapids News (Michigan) “Boaters in Fatal Crash with Personal Watercraft on Spring Lake Were Friends With Teen Who Died” reports Robert Jerovsek, age 15, was riding a PWC with two passengers on board on Saturday 5 September when it was struck (pwc was ran over from the stern) by a boat carrying some of his friends. The collision occurred near the entrance to Stahl’s Bayou (also called Hanky Panky Bayou). Robert’s two passengers were also injured including a 16 year old girl from Chicago whose leg was amputated. NOTE – no mention was made of those injured or killed as being struck by propellers.
  12 January 2010 update – yesterday we heard some results of the investigation. The female leg amputation has been confirmed as a propeller injury. Cause of death of the pwc operator was not listed as a propeller strike.
• 3 September 2009 The News (Murray State College in Kentucky) “Student Recovers After Boating Accident” reports Brian Kinnaman, Murray State senior from Berlin Missouri, was on a fraternity back to school party on Kentucky Lake on August 22nd. They rented a party barge from Kenlake Marina. Some life jackets blew in, one guy dove in to retrieve them, Kinnaman jumped in then too either to help retrieve them or to cool off. He soon started yelling for help. Kinnaman later said he thought the driver was trying to compensate for the current to catch up with them, but did not see him. When Kinnaman turned around to look for the boat, “the engine was right there. It sucked me under and my swimming trunks got caught in the propeller.” Besides being entrapped in the propeller, he “suffered multiple lacerations to his knees and thighs, some measuring 10 inches long and four inches deep. His patellar tendon to his left knee was severed.” He was life flighted from Kenlake Marina and recently released from Murray-Calloway County Hospital.
  Note- Kenlake shows a 20 person party barge on their website that looks like a pontoon boat with half and upper deck and a water slide.
• 3 September 2009 WMUR9 (New Hampshire) “Man Suffers Lacerations After Falling From Boat” reports from Portsmouth, that a man was in a 14 foot boat on the Piscataqua River today (3 Sept). He went under the I-95 bridge just before 1 pm, fell out, and was struck by the propeller. “He had lacerations to his back, face, and mouth.” A Fish and Game boat had just passed by, and the crew turned to see he “had fallen off the boat into the propeller.”
  Later reports identify the injured man as J. O’Brien, age 57 of Durham, who had just finished bailing water from his boat when he fell over. He was still caught (entrapped) in the propeller when emergency responders arrived.
• Summer 2009 Accident – 16 September 2009 Daily Sentinel (Nacogdoches Texas) “Boad Recognizing Outstanding Senior” reports Eric Cline hopes to receive a National Merit Scholarship when he graduates Nacogdoches High School in 2010. He was recently injured by a boat propeller while knee boarding on Lake Palestine when a boat ran over him. “The propeller of the boat sliced right through Cline’s leg, cutting through bone and tendons.” He now walks with a knee brace and will be unable to play varsity tennis this year.
• D 29 Aug 2009 Las Vegas Sun “Woman Dies in Lake Mohave Boating Accident” reports a 22 year old woman was on a pontoon boat with family and friends in the Gasoline Alley area of Lake Mohave late Saturday afternoon 29 August (the Arizona side of the Lake per the map provided). Several people moved forward, the bow dipped into the water, she fell over the bow, the boat was advancing 6 to 8 mph. “She was found in the water after the boat passed over her with severe injuries from the propeller” taken to Princess Cove boat ramp, and pronounced dead. National Park Service was notified of the incident at 5:51 pm.
  NPS later released her name as Delilah Moles of Chino Hills California.
  Mohave Daily News reported injuries were to her arm and back, a life flight crew was dispatched and a crew member pronounced her dead at the scene at 6:08 pm.
• 28 August 2009 North Country Gazette (New York) “Girl Injured in Brant Lake Boating Accident” reports M. NcHale, a ten year old girl from Clifton Park, was skiing behind a boat on Brant Lake near Horicon about 6:50pm Thursday 27 August. Her father was operating the boat with another adult onboard. She fell from the skis, her father brought the boat around, thought the boat was in neutral, jumped in to assist his daughter, the boat was seemingly still in gear and approached the victim. The remaining passenger tried to shift the boat to neutral, the young girl was struck by the prop “causing a deep laceration to her lower right leg.” She was transported to Glen Falls Hospital.
• 25 August 2009 Canoe – The Sun Times (Canada) “Swimmer Hit by Boat” reports a 50 year old male was swimming in Williams Lake near Holland Centre, Ontario on Sunday 23 August about noon. A boat towing two children on and inflatable came by and struck him. He “suffered injuries to his legs, partially due to contact with the propeller” and was taken to Owen Sound Hospital.
• 22 August 2009 Accident Date – Caitlin Beadles, 15 year old from Georgia, best know for being an ex-girlfriend and current friend of Justin Bieber, was jetskiing on an Alabama lake on 22 August 2009 with seven other friends. She and some friends had fallen from the personal watercraft (PWC). Two friends were in the water on one side of the PWC and she was in the water on the other side. A boat with their group was approaching dragging a canoe with some of her friends onboard. The boat operator did not see Caitlin, and ran over her. Her legs were severely injured by the propeller. The boat operator circled back, managed to get Caitlin on a PWC and took her to shore. They wrapped her legs with towels and applied pressure to try to slow the bleeding. An ambulance took her to meet a life flight helicopter and she was life flighted to University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital. She flatlined and paramedics though she was dead on the helicopter, but she was still alive. Several reports say she received over 6,000 stitches to one of her legs. Caitlin continues to deal with her serious injuries several years later.
• D? 19 August 2009 Richmond News (Richmond Alberta Canada) “Boating Mishap on River Claims Life” reports two men were boating on the Fraser River near Triangle Road on Sunday 16 August. Their boat ran out of gas, the victim’s brother brought them some gas, the boat was restarted with the steering wheel cranked to one side, the boat jumped forward, ejected the victim, began to spin out of control, and ran over the man in the water. When the other man onboard regained control of the boat, he saw blood in the water. He unsuccessfully searched for the body which has yet to be found. “It appears the victim may have been hit by the boat’s propeller.”
• 18 August 2009 Newsday (Trinidad and Tobago) “Surgery to Save Arm of Girl” reports Paige Welch, a 13 year old girl, and her mother (both from the New England area of the U.S.) were paddling a kayak while a 23 year old man (later identified as the mothers nephew) sat on the bow about noon Sunday 16 August in Chaguaramas. When they were getting close to Scotland Bay, they were struck by the Andelle, a 28 foot pirogue powered by a 200 horsepower engine. Its propeller reportedly ripped the kayak in half. The Coast Guard rapidly responded, helping to save the girl’s limb. Surgeons are waiting to see if her re-attached arm will be accepted, and her family is becoming frustrated at the lack of information about the accident they are being provided by authorities. The girl’s mother and the young man were also injured. The article mentions similarities to the 12 June 2007 accident of Y. Quesnel and C. Barry-Laso.
  An August 18 Guardian report The mother is said to have had part of her back ripped off and bones shattered in her left arm. The soldier driving the boat that struck them was supposed to be home on sick leave.
  A 19 August 2009 Newsday report indicates the father has arrived and all are still at Medical Associates Hospital in St. Joseph. The family continues to be frustrated at the lack of information coming out of the accident investigation.
  A Newsday photo of clearly shows the outboard to be a Yamaha.
  A 20 August 2009 Newsday report indicates the young girl has been taken back to the U.S., but the mother remains due to seriousness of her injuries. It calls it a propeller accident, “with the engine propeller believed to have done most of the damage to the victims.”
• 18 August 2009 Times Herald (Port Huron New York) “Float Down Hopes Buoyed” reports the annual Port Huron Float down held on the St. Clair River is still expected to be held next year, even though they had many medical and police emergencies this year. Among them was one for “a person hit by a boat propeller.
• D 17 August 2009 Times Net (Kingsport Tennessee) “Toddler Killed on Boon Lake Was Hit by Boat Propeller” reports Hunter James Markland, age 3, was in a 19 foot Sea Ray with his parents on Boon Lake near Winged Deer Park about 5:45 pm Saturday 15 August. They launched the boat and were turning to head toward the grandparents who were nearby in another boat. While turning, the boat hit a wake, the child (wearing a life jacket) was ejected from the front right side of the boat, went under the boat, was struck by the propeller, rushed to Johnson City Medical Center, and later pronounced dead.
• 17 August 2009 WIVB (Bufallo New York) “Person Suffers Cuts From Boat Propeller” reports a male was in the water in the Magnolia area on Chautauqua Lake on Sunday night 16 August. He “suffered cuts to this lower body after getting hit by a boat’s propeller.” He was taken to WCA hospital in Jamestown.
  the 17 August 2009 Post-Journal reports the man was tubing, fell off, and his lower left leg was pulled into the prop while returning to the tube.
• 15 August Accident 2009 Date – 17 Sept 2009 Daily Mercury (Australia) “Boy, 3, Nearly Lost His Leg in Boat Propeller” reports Jake Bryan, age 3, was in a boat moored off Goldsmith Island with his parents, more than 50 kilometers out to sea north of Mackay on August 15th. He unexpectedly jumped off the back of the boat “and had his leg ripped apart by a propeller.” The prop cut through his tibia and fibula, severed one nerve and badly bruised another. Now a month, 440 stitches, and four bolts sticking out of his shin later, he is recovering. He probably won’t walk for another six months.
• 13 August 2009 Canoe (Canada) “Barrie Girl, 4, Injured by Boat Propeller” reports a four year old girl from Barrie (Ontario Canada) was riding in a 10 foot outboard powered dinghy on Georgian Bay on Wednesday 12 August. The boat hit a wave, she was ejected and struck by the propeller. Emergency crews were called to the Delawana Inn shortly after 5:30 pm. She was taken to Huronia District Hospital in Midland, then life flighted to Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto.
• D 9 August 2009 Typically Spanish (Spain) “Young Girl Killed by the Family Boat off Orihuela” reports a 35 year old mother and her 5 year old daughter were with the family boat off Cabo Roig, Orihuela Spain this morning (Sunday 9 August). The boat was at anchor, the starboard engine was started to solve a problem with its anchoring. The young girl and her mother were both “caught by the boat’s propeller.” The daughter was killed. The mother was seriously injured and taken to a district hospital in Torrevieja.
  A 12 August 2009 Round Town News report indicates the young girl’s name was Paloma Go’mez Marin. They were on holiday at Pilar de la Horadada. The child was struck in the head and neck. She died about an hour after the accident. Her mother was “injured by the propeller and suffered severe lacerations” and was taken to Torrevieja Hospital. The boat was 7.5 meters long with twin engines.
  We have seen other reports indicating one of the girl’s brothers was also struck by the propeller.
• D 8 August 2009 TimesOnline (United Kingdom) “Man Killed by Powerboat as Friends Crash in Regatta Race” reports the co-pilot of a boat in the Dover Regatta race yesterday (8 August) was killed. Another boat hit his side on and rode up over it and he was apparently struck by the propeller. He suffered head and chest injuries. He was towed back to shore in his boat, a life flight service was called, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. The deceased was in his forties.
• D? 6 August 2009 WOWT (Omaha Nebraska) “Body Recovered From Beaver Lake” reports Ammon Witters, 23 year old male from Papillion, was boating on Beaver Lake on Monday night August 3rd. The boat made a sharp turn, he fell overboard, and was struck by the boat. His body was found Thursday afternoon. Authorities said “there were signs of trauma, possibly from the boat’s propeller.”
  Other reports (KETV7) indicate the boat was turning to pickup a fallen wake boarder.
• 5 August 2009 WEAU (Eau Claire Wisconsin) “Boat Propeller Runs Over Man After He’s Thrown Overboard” reports S. Laffin, 30 year old male from Spring Valley, was boating on Lake Menomin in Dunn County (today?). His wife and two children were fishing. He started the motor and it suddenly took off. He was thrown from the boat when it started to circle. Laffin was hit twice by the boat and once by its propeller. “His shirt and life jacket” were torn up by the motor.” Laffin was taken to Red Cedar Medical Center with only minor injuries. This is another instance in which a PFD / Life Jacket may have protected a victim from more severe propeller injuries.
  A WQOW report indicates his family were onboard the 14 foot boat, and his injuries were to his hand and stomach.
• 4 August 2009 WHNT19 (Huntsville Alabama) “Decatur Teenager Hurt in Boating Accident” reports Molly Moses, 16 year old female from Decatur, was boating with her father and one of his friends. While they were returning from a fishing trip to Findley Island on Friday 31 July, she fell from the boat. Molly fell into the propeller. Her father dove in and got her back into the boat with the help of his friend. One of her legs was nearly severed. She was life flighted to Huntsville Hospital and remains listed in critical condition.
  A 4 August report from WAAYTV indicates the boat hit a submerged object Saturday morning (previous report said Friday) and jerked to the right, causing her ejection. The family says they plan to push for an Alabama Law requiring “that cages be put around the propellers.” They encourage people to visit “Miracles for Molly” on Facebook to show support, plus a fund has been set up at Peoples Bank in Decatur to help with medical expenses. The boat appears to be powered by a Mercury outboard in the news coverage photo. We cover this accident in-depth at Molly Moses -2009 Propeller Accident.
• D 3 August 2009 Baltimore Sun (Maryland) “Man Dies While Tubing on Back River” reports Scott Yeagy, 26 year old male from Parkville, fell from a tube on the Back River Sunday afternoon 2 August. When the boat went around to pick him up the operator felt a bump under the boat near the prop. Several onboard had been tubing as part of a bachelors party. They pulled him onboard. Yeagy was declared dead on shore from what appeared to be head injuries. He was struck in the head by the propeller.
• 1 August 2009 The Governeur Times (Governeur New York) “Man Hit by Boat on Schroon Lake” reports T.F. Flaherty, 49 year old male, was swimming in open water on Schroon Lake on Thursday 30 July. He was struck by the propeller of a 21 foot boat. The Essex County emergency call came in a 7:35 pm. The boat operator and others on board transported Flaherty to shore where he was life flighted to Fletcher Allen Health Care Center in Burlington, Vermont with “multiple lacerations to his body and arm.”
• 31 July 2009 Accident Date (Australia) – 5 April 2013 The Australian “UNSW Cops $100K Fine for Field Trip” reports a 23 year old woman was on a University of New South Wales field trip on 31 July 2009. They were visiting sites in Darling Harbor on a University RIB. A university operator lost control, three people were ejected at 10-12 knots, the woman was struck by the bow OR propeller. She suffered a broken wrist and severe injuries to her leg. NSW Court recently fined the University $100,000 (Australian dollars).
• D 30 July 2009 Accident Date – 26 Jan 2010 This is Portsmouth (UK) “Plymouth Woman’s Death on Family Boating Holiday an Accident, Inquest Records” reports Amanda Chapell, 47, was on a narrowboat (narrow version of houseboats used on European canal systems) in a lock at Cropredy, near Banbury, Oxfordshire on July 30th, 2009 about 5:20pm. While navigating the locks, she was moving to the helm to put the boat in neutral or reverse to adjust for the boat being pushed around by incoming water and it reflecting off the gates, the boat hit the rear lock gate, and she fell over the handrail. The coroner later acknowledged her injuries had been caused by the boat’s propellers.
  PGIC comment – as with many other propeller accidents, several news articles mention her husband and her two teenage children children were onlookers to the accident.
• 28 July 2009 Typically Spanish (Spain) “Civil Guard Seriously Hurt in Nerja Boating Accident” reports from Nerja Spain that a Civil Guard officer was boating with colleagues off Nerja Monday afternoon 27 July. He fell in and caught his legs and abdomen in the boat’s propeller. The man is now in intensive care in Malaga.
• D 26 July 2009 The Sun News (Myrtle Beach FL) “Police: Man Taken to Hospital After Crash With Boat” reports a man was riding a PWC on the Intracoastal Waterway between Bucksport Marina and Enterprise Landing late Saturday afternoon 25 July. He was jumping waves, lost control, collided with a boat, fell off, and was swept him under the boat where “his legs and abdomen were cut by the propeller”. The man was life flighted to a North Carolina hospital.
  A later Sun News report of the same date confirm Michael A. Warner, 27 of Dover Delaware, died overnight of his injuries in the PWC/boat crash above at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington North Carolina.
• 25 July 2009 News-Leader (Springfield MO) “Teen Injured by Boat Propeller on Table Rock Lake” reports B. Heeney, 17 year old male from Hutchinson Kansas, was tubing on Table Rock Lake in Barry County about 2pm Friday 24 July. About 6 miles up the King’s River arm near Golden, he was in process of boarding the boat that had been towing him. While climbing in, “the boat’s propeller cut his upper thigh.” Heeney was taken to St. John’s Hospital in Berryville Arkansas, treated, and released.
  The accident was reported as News Release N07090104 by the Missouri State Water Patrol.
• 21 July 2009 Pope County Tribune / Starbuck Times (Glenwood Minnesota) “Schaffer Hospitalized After Boating Accident” reports Tatum Shaffer, age 9, was tubing on July 5 on Rose Lake near Vergas. While tubing behind one boat, “he was hit on the right side of his head by another boat’s propeller. His mother and her boyfriend pulled him out, he was ambulanced to Perham Memorial Hospital and liftflighted to MeritCare Hospital (North) in Fargo North Dakota. The boy’s grandmother said he injured his brain, ” and suffered a laceration to the right side of his head, a skull fracture, dislocated right shoulder and many cuts and bruises.
• D 21 July 2009 Gainsville Sun (Florida) “Dixie Teacher Was Struck by Ocalan’s Pontoon Boat” reports Charles David Sheppard, age 60 of Cross City, was snorkeling for scallops southwest of Rocky Creek off the Dixie County coastline on Friday July 17. A pontoon boat with three couples and several children onboard ran over him. They pulled him onboard and took him to a marina in Steinhatchee where he was pronounced dead. FWC reported he “died after apparently being cut by the propeller of an outboard motor on the pontoon boat.”
• 20 July 2009 Lufkin Daily News (Texas) “Hudson Man Critical After Being Struck by Boat” reports Zachary Morgan, 19 year old male from Hudson, was swimming back to shore to avoid a rainstorm on Sunday afternoon 19 July on the Angelina River near state highway 63. A boat driven by woman driving a boat with her small children on board struck him in the side. He “suffered a large gash in his right side from the boat’s propeller, which also broke his arm and collarbone, sliced through his kidney and collapsed his lungs”. He was lifeflighted toward a hospital in Lufkin but diverted to Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital when his condition worsened. His father said he could stay on life support for up to a month or two while doctors fight for his life. Physicians are unable to close the large wound due to fear of infection from the water. Blood donations are being requested.
• 20 July 2009 NewsOK (Oklahoma City Oklahoma) “Ardmore Woman Injured on Lake Murray” reports L.R. Robertson, 19 year old young woman from Ardmore, was boating on Lake Murray about 6:15pm Sunday evening 19 July. She jumped in and swam to the rear of the boat and her leg was cut by the propeller. She was life flighted to Norman Regional Hospital.
  A KXII report of the same date says the boat operator accidentally left the motor in gear while idling the engine. The young woman did not realize that and jumped in.
• D 19 July 2009 Ria Novosti (Russia) “Motorboat Kills Holiday Maker in Russian Black Sea Resort” reports A woman on holiday at Sochi, a Russian Black Sea Resort, swam past the 200 meter buoy for small boats about noon today (19 July). She “was caught in the propeller of a passing motorboat” and killed.
• 18 July 2009 The Peterborough Examiner (Ontario Canada) “Arm Partially Severed in Boating Mishap” reports Five men were boating on Rice Lake yesterday (17 July) morning, the boat operator suddenly turned the boat, all five men fell overboard, and the unmanned boat began to circle. Two men were struck by the boat and another man, age 38 from Hamilton Township, “got caught in the propeller.” He was taken to Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg, then on to Sunnbybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto.
• D 15 July 2009 OC Register (Orange County California) “Autopsy Set Today for Junior Lifeguard Who Died During Drill” reports Allyssa Squirrell, age 11 of Laguna Hills, was training as a junior lifeguard with 20 to 25 other junior lifeguards (all 11 to 12 years old) just before 3pm yesterday, 14 July off Huntington Beach. They were practicing speed drops in which the boat dropped them off then came back around to pick them up. When it came back around it struck Allyssa. The boat was operated by a 30 plus year veteran marine safety officer. Early reports said she was slashed by the propeller, officials have since withdraw that statement and say the accident is under investigation.
  Other reports indicate she died in surgery about 5:30pm July 14th at UCI Medical Center in Orange.
  Later reports indicate the autopsy confirmed she died from “deep cuts to her back and her left leg.” Officials now say she apparently/probably was struck by the propeller.
• 13 July 2009 LoHud (New York Lower Hudson Valley) “Cops: Boat Propeller Cuts lake Mahopac Swimmer; Boater Was Intoxicated” reports J. Benack, 20 year old male from Mahopac, was swimming in Lake Mahopac in a cove by Colonial Terrace about 5:30 pm July 12th as a passenger of a group of three boats rafted together. The boats started drifting toward shore so the operators untied the ropes and started to move. They were unaware Benack was in the water. He was struck by the propeller of one of the boats in the leg and stomach. Others pulled him onboard, took him to a dock at South Lake Boulevard, and he was ambulanced to Putnam Hospital Center.
• 13 July 2009 Fosters Daily Democrat (New Hampshire) “Man Struck by Boat Propeller in Wakefield Lake” reports S. Conway, 43 year old male from Danvers Massachusetts, was being retrieved after skiing in Lovell Lake on Sunday 12 July . He was pulled under the swim platform and “received severe lacerations to his legs and groin area”. New Hampshire Marine Patrol was called at 12:43 pm. A nearby fisherman towed the boat to the boat ramp. Conway was taken by ambulance to Wakefield Fire Station and life flighted to Maine Medical Center in Portland Maine.
• 11 July 2009 Accident Date – 20 July 2009 Shakopee Valley News (Minnesota) “Boy Who Fell Off Pontoon After Drinking Lucky” reports a 16 year old boy from Shakopee fell from a pontoon boat on Lake O’Dowd two weekends ago. A County Sheriff Deputy was following behind the pontoon and saw him bob up in the water. He had been cut by the propeller. His “arm was cut to the bone and fractured, and his foot was sliced approximately 3 inches clear through, down from the webbing between his big and index toe.”
  A 13 August 2009 Jordan Independent report indicates the accident took place about 9 pm July 11th. He was climbing up the ladder as the boat began to take off.
• 11 July 2009 MLive.com (Grand Rapids Michigan News) “Boys Legs Badly Cut by Propeller at Ottawa County Boat Launch” reports a 10 year old boy was struck by a pontoon boat propeller at a boat ramp on the Conestoga Campground. He “suffered severe lacerations to both his legs”. Details were sketchy.
  a 13 July Grand Haven Tribune report aid the boy was jumping around near the bow and fell in. The operator put the boat in neutral, but he had already been struck and received a 10 inch gash on his left leg.
• 10 July 2009 The Times (Johannesburg South Africa) “Man Injured by Boat Propeller” reports from the KwaZulu-Natal south coast. A crewman of Sea Blaze, a charter boat, may have been helping push the boat out to sea in a very low tide. “.. when the motors were started and his legs and thigh apparently got caught in the motor propellers.” He was taken by ambulance to a hospital. Rescue crews responded about 7:05 am (July 9th?).
• 9 July 2009 Lumina News (Wrightsville North Carolina) “Beachgoers Flock for Fourth of July” reports on area EMS responses and alarms over the holidays. The Coast Guard responded to a man lacerated by a boat propeller near Masonboro Island. Firefighters EMTs also responded. The man refused medical transportation and was treated at the scene. (The accident may have been on July 3rd).
• D 8 July 2009 Stabroek News (Guyana) “Boy Dies in Moruka River Mishap” reports Leon Edwards, 11 of Waramuri, was in the rear of a passenger boat going from Charity to Moruka, Guyana yesterday (7 July). About 6:20 am the boat’s 200 HP engine hit a log that had fallen across the river. When it hit the log, the engine fell into the vessel (sounds like it was an outboard) striking Edwards’ brother in the head, and another person. Leon Edwards “suffered chop wounds to his head from the boat’s propeller.”Two hours elapsed before others came to their assistance. Leon Edwards was pronounced dead on arrival at Charity Hospital.
• 6 July 2009 News-Leader (Springfield Missouri) “Doniphan Woman Injured by Propeller” reports M. Cook, a 21 year old woman from Doniphan, was tubing on Lake Wappapello on Saturday July 4th. She was entering the boat (a 1999 Basstracker Deck Boat), struck by the propeller, and began hollering for help about 8:14 pm. Cook was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau with serious injuries.
  Missouri State Water Patrol covered the accident in their N07090087 News Release.
• 5 July 2009 KNDO KNDU (Washington report of Idaho accident) “Man Severs Foot After Being Thrown from Sea-Doo” reports from Rathdrum Idaho. A 17 or 19 foot Sea Ray hit a Sea-Doo PWC near Twin Echo Road on Lower Twin Lakes Saturday afternoon July 4th. Seven were onboard the Sea Ray. The 48 year old man on the Sea-Doo (B. Malone of Deer Park WA) turned hard left in an attempt to avoid the collision. He was ejected from the PWC during the turn and struck by the Sea Ray’s propeller. He suffered “prop injuries to his left leg and his left foot was severed above the ankle.” Malone was taken to Kootenai Medical Center. His foot was not found.
• 5 July 2009 KTIV (Sioux City Iowa) “Man Loses Foot in SD Boating Accident” reports from Pennington South Dakota. A man was swimming in the east end of Sheridan Lake about 5pm Saturday July 4th. A boat came by too close and his foot was severed above the ankle by its propeller. The injured man was life flighted to Rapid City Regional Hospital.
  The man was later identified as 25 year old E. Monson of Rapid City.
• 5 July 2009 Yakima Herald (Washington) “Ellensburg Woman Loses Lower Part of Leg in Boating Accident” reports A. McWeeny, 20 year old woman from Ellensburg, was in a ski boat with six others when it turned to pickup a fallen skier on the Columbia River on Saturday evening July 4th. The boat rolled over during the turn. All seven on board were ejected. She was “sitting in the open bow, went under the boat, causing extensive leg trauma. McWeeny was taken to Harborview Medical Center. Doctors were unable to save her lower leg.
  This was later confirmed as a propeller accident by KOMO news in their 13 July report on Alison McWeeny loosing her left leg and her good attitude as she continues to recover.

July 4th Holiday Weekend – Friday 3 July through Sunday 5 July 2009

• 2 July 2009 St. Joe News (Missouri) “Man Injured in Boating Accident” reports T.E. Dewey, 30 year old male from Faucett Missouri, was operating a Marada Run boat on Smithville Lake about 4pm July 1st. Near Crows Creek Arm he shifted the boat to neutral, and left the boat to swim at the rear of the boat. “His clothes became entangled in the prop blades” and he sustained serious injuries. He was entrapped in the propeller.
  The accident was reported in News Release 7080093 by MSWP.
• D D 29 June 2009 KETV7 (Omaha Nebraska) “Boat Propeller Injures, Kills Two Cousins in Freak Accident” reports Eric Jarecki, age 32, and Jason Hafaas, age 25, cousins were in a fishing boat on Branched Oak Lake several mile north of Lincoln on Sunday 28 June. They lost control of the boat, it hit an embankment, both men were ejected. “The boat and its propeller then hit and killed both men.” A video report with the story says they men were struck repeated by the circling boat after they were ejected and suffered propeller injuries their heads. Their bodies were recovered by divers 3 hours later.
  29 June 2009 KETV7 (Omaha Nebraska) – a KETV video report on the Nebraska twin fatality mentions of a 42 year old man losing his arm on the same lake last week. This is in reference to the accident in the 22 June Omaha World-Herald report on this same page.
• One struck, one body found 28 June 2009 Sioux City Journal (Iowa) “Boating Accident Injures South Sioux Councilman” reports O. Gomez, 33 year old male, and Bruce Wright, 31, were ejected from a boat Saturday evening June 27 on the Missouri River about a mile north of Salix. The boat operator slowed down and the two men from Sioux CIty fell over the bow. “Gomez suffered propeller cuts to his right leg and an injury to his left hip.” He was life flighted to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City. Wright is still missing.
  Other reports indicate a body was found about 9:30pm Monday June 29 about 11 miles downstream. It was taken to St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center in Sioux City for examination by the Woodbury County Medical Examiners Office. Authorities confirmed it was Bruce Wright early Tuesday morning. We have not seen mention of the body being struck by a propeller or not.
• 28 June 2009 CDNN (Cyber Diver reports from Aruba) “Mermaid Divers Dive Boat Hits, Critically Injures Scuba Diving Customer” reports from Orangestad Aruba. A novice young woman diver scuba diving with Mermaid Divers was ascending from about 6 meters when her dive boat was drifting toward shore. The boat’s engine was started in order to move the boat to deeper waters. She was found unconscious with no mask and her air hose severed. She is in critical condition at a hospital “due to head injuries caused by the dive boat’s propeller.”
  The accident is being discussed by divers in an Aruba Forum.
• D 27 June 2009 China View (China reporting on an accident in the Philippines) “Japanese Tourist Dead When Diving in the Philippines” reports Etsuko Kosaka, a 52 year old Japanese woman, was scuba diving near Cebu in Philippines on Thursday 25 June. She surfaced with some other divers and was
  “extremely hit on the head by the propeller of a passing motor boat.” She was taken to Mactan Doctors Hospital for her head injuries and died there.
  Other reports indicate she was diving near the city of Lapu Lapu in the Central Cebu province.
• D 25 June 2009 WGMD92.7 (Delaware) “Breaking: Boating Accident Off Bowers Beach” reports a man was ejected from a boat and struck by a propeller today 25 June. He was taken to Kent Memorial Hospital.
  A later WGMD report indicates the man, Barry Temple, age 51 was from Bear. He was ejected when his boat hit a wave off Bowers Beach. Barry Temple was struck about noon by the propeller of his circling boat and died later.
  Later reports indicate another man was in the boat. He was unable to stop it from circling before the 14 foot boat’s propeller hit Temple who was life flighted to Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital in Dover.
• 23 June 2009 Chipley Bugle FWC Weekly Report (Florida) reports a FWC officer worked a propeller accident in Bay County this past week “involving a diver who was struck by a boat’s propeller causing severe lacerations to his chest, neck, and face.”
• 22 June 2009 Omaha World-Herald (Nebraska) “Boat Accident Victim Identified” reports B. Smolik, 42 year old male from Lincoln, fell overboard on Branched Oak Lake. The accident was reported at 8:12 pm Sunday 21 June. Mr. Smolik suffered a deep cut to his right arm, apparently from the propeller. He was life flighted to Bryant LGH Medical Center West in Lincoln.
  KTIV reports Smolik make a sharp turn, the steering wheel came off, a passenger was thrown into the steering column disabling the motor. The passenger was also ejected.
• 22 June 2009 Evansville Courier & Press (Evansville Indiana) “Evansville Pair Spent Night on River Before Being Rescued” reports a couple launched their boat Sunday 21 June at the Mount Vernon boat ramp. They had engine problems later and J. Roeder, the man, “injured his foot on the propeller, which wasn’t running.” Rescuers found them about 3 am Monday morning between Slim Island and Uniontown Kentucky. Roeder was life flighted to St. Mary’s Medical Center due to loss of blood. He was treated and released.
• 22 June 2009 The Herald (Plymouth UK) “Diver Slashed by Speedboat in Plymouth Sound” reports Pete Mills, 24 from Whitleigh, was diving for scallops in Plymouth Sound on Sunday June 14th just off the Waterfront restaurant. An 18 foot boat ran him down. He was preparing to dive, was startled by the oncoming boat, dove at the last second, and was still cut by “the sharp Mercury 300 propeller blades.” Doctors left the wound open for five days to prevent infection. Mills has already had three operations to sew up the 8 inch hole in his left buttock. Pete Mills is an experienced watersports instructor.
• 21 June 2009 The Capital (Annapolis Maryland) “Boat Injury” reports a 25 year old male was docking a boat in Pasadena near Mallad Drive about 5:50 pm yesterday, 20 June. He fell overboard, hit the propeller, and injured his arm, upper torso, and head. The man was life flighted to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.
• D 16 June 2009 “Plano 12-Year-Old Dies in Boating Accident” reports John Potanka, a 12 year old boy from Plano, was on Lake Lavon on Saturday June 13th as part of a scout outing. He and another boy were tubing. He fell off the tube, the boat attempted to pick him up, and he was hit by the propeller. His father, the boat operator, and eight kids witnessed the event. Emergency personnel responded about 6pm to the boat ramp. He was taken to Children’s Medical Center, and pronounced dead.
• 15 June 2009 NWF Daily News (North West Florida) “Kayaker Dies After Falling Into Water” reports on some recent Florida boating accidents including a June 6 accident near Crab Island. A woman fell from a boat and “was severely cut in the pelvic area by a boat propeller.”
• 15 June 2009 HBL (Finland) “Man Injured by Propeller” reports in Sweedish from Southwest Finland. A man in small boat was being towed by a another boat due to the winds. The small boat capsized, and he was stuck by the propeller of the boat towing him. The accident happened Friday 12 June.
• D 15 June 2009 Accident Date – 2 June 2011 Sault Star (Ontario Canada) “Voir Dire in Retrial Wraps Up” reports a woman from Blind River was operating a boat on Lake Lauzon on 15 June 2009. Rocque Seguin, age 26 of Blind River, was caught in the propeller and died. An ongoing trial is now determining if the boat operator was impaired by alcohol.
  A 21 February 2013 Sault Star update reports a new trial has been ordered for the woman charged. In a previous trial, a judge ordered the alcohol evidence to be excluded and the case was dismissed. A recent ruling called for a retrial allowing the evidence to be included.
• 11 June 2009 The Monitor (McAllen Texas) “CBP Officers Rescue Boaters Thrown Overboard” reports U.S. Customs officers pulled two men without life jackets that did not seem to know how to swim from the water near a 15 foot fishing boat on Tuesday 9 June in the Brownsville Ship Channel. The 15 foot boat circled dangerously near the men, hit one in the head with its hull, and cut the other man’s left ankle with its propeller. They were taken to the USCG facility at South Padre Island, then to Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville.
• 8 June 2009 The Capital (Annapolis Maryland) “Man’s Leg Stuck in Boat Propeller” reports from Marley that on the afternoon of June 7th, a 40 year old man got his leg stuck in a boat propeller. A rescue call was made about 4:30pm for help at 1702 Furnace Drive in Marley. Bystanders kept his head above water. By the time rescuers arrived, he had been freed from the propeller. The man was taken to Maryland Shock and Trauma Center in Baltimore by ambulance.
• D 2 June 2009 WMBB News 13 (Panama City FL) “Boating Accident Victim Remembered” reports Jeff Rector, age 28 of Blountstown FL, was boating with a friend on Apalachicola River on Saturday 30 May. The boat hit a wake, they were both ejected. “Jeff did no have on the kill-switch, the motor didn’t turn off and he was hit by the propeller.” Jefferies Rector’s body was found Monday morning.

D 29 May 2009 WKYT (Lexington Kentucky) “Boating Death Under Investigation” reports Isabel Hall, a 49 year old woman from Harrodsburg, was on Herrington Lake Friday evening 29 May. She and her husband were on the lake with a pontoon boat. Conflicting reports say she may have been tubing behind the pontoon. She was struck by the propeller. When authorities arrived, her husband had tied her body to the side of the boat to prevent it from floating away. The possibility of foul play is being investigated.

• May 2009 accident date in Malta – 9 November 2009 Independent (in Malta) “Court rules against diver who lost foot due to negligence” reports Louis Bonavia, 59, took a friend fishing in May 2009 in a dinghy. While Mr. Bonavia was snorkeling just below the surface outside the swim zone, about 130 meters offshore, a bloat slowly passed by. His foot was struck by the propeller. Dive marker buoys in his dinghy were not in use at that time per a recent court case.
• 28 May 2009 Lumina News (Wrightsville North Carolina) “Record Breaking Ocean Rescues” reports on Memorial Weekend beach rescues including a man climbing in the back of a boat when the operator started the engine. His “leg was badly cut by the propeller.” Sheriff deputies took him to the Water Street USCG station where an ambulance took him to the hospital. “The victim had severe lacerations to the inner-thigh and lower part of the leg.”
• 28 May 2009 Gainsville Sun (Gainsville Florida) “Woman Cut by Propeller in Gulf Boating Accident” reports on Memorial Day (Monday 25 May) seven people from the Gainsville area rented a pontoon boat and went out on the Gulf of Mexico. About 4pm they were going 10 to 15 mph. J.B. Mobley, a 20 year old female, fell overboard and under the pontoon. It is thought the boat may have hit a wave, the front deck dipped down, then up, and flipped her overboard. Her “legs were cut by the prop.” She was taken to Cedar Key boat ramp, met by ambulance crews, and life flighted to Shands Hospital at the University of Florida. The Cedar City Police Chief, Virgil Sandlin, fielding the call for help, was similarly struck by a propeller himself almost 5 years ago.
  More details were provided in the 9 June 2009 Bradford County Telegraph (Florida) “Former Union County Resident Injured in Boating Accident” reports Jamie Mobley, a 20 year old young woman from Keystone Heights, was on a pontoon boat with friends at Cedar Key on Memorial Day 25 May. Some of her friends were sitting on the side of the boat with their feet dangling in the water. She joined them, as she scooted closer toward the water, a wave hit the pontoon boat, she fell in, and was struck by the propeller. “She was sucked into the propeller, which tore the flesh and muscle on her right buttocks, thigh and calf, as well as her left calf. She also received a broken right hand and a cracked pelvis.” The propeller was damaged by striking her and the boat would only move slowly toward the distant shore. Another boat took her aboard and headed toward shore. It was met by a rescue boat. On shore she was met by medical personel and transferred by ambulance to Shands Hospital in Gainsville. Attempts were made to life flight her from Cedar Key but the helicopter was unable land due to the weather.
• Possible Propeller Injury – 27 May 2009 KWTX (Waco Texas) “Boater Injured in Fall at Lake Waco” reports a man appearing to be in his mid 60’s was cleaning weeds from his propeller about 2pm Wednesday 27 May at a boat ramp off Flat Rock Road. He had swung up the outboard to clean away the weeds. It is thought that he slipped and fell into the motor and suffered a chest injury. After he was injured, he used his cell phone to call friends, who then called 911, and he was taken to a local hospital. The text does not specifically mention him being falling in to the propeller, but the accompanying video ends focusing on the propeller of the Johnson outboard with possibly some shred of clothing on it.
• 27 May 2009 WZZM Channel 13 (Grand Rapids Michigan) “Boater Trapped by Propeller, Police Suspect Alcohol to Blame” reports a 44 year old Milford Connecticut man was boating by himself on Grand River in the Indian Channel. When deputies arrived about 6pm Tuesday May 26th they found an empty boat. The man was submerged behind the boat, struggling to breathe. His t-shirt was entangled in the propeller.
  A report on mlive.com said he had been thrown from his boat and his t-shirt wrapped around the motor and killed it, but secured him to it.
• 25 May 2009 Accident date in Malta – 17 November 2016 Malta Today (Malta) “Boat Driver Not At Fault in Diving Accident” reports Louis Bonavia was struck by a speedboat while he was diving on 29 May 2009. He was in a wetsuit about 25 to 30 meters from his manned dinghy, about 300 meters off the coast. His left leg was later amputated after being struck by the propeller. A court case, Louis and Maryanne Bonavia v John Bonello, Nicola Gambino and Atlas Insurance PCC Ltd, in the First Hall of the Civil Court reached a decision on 8 November 2016. The court found the boat operator of the boat that struck Mr. Boavia not guilty. The diver was wearing a black wetsuit, was within 30 meters of his vessel, no markings were present to indicate diving was taking place, and the other boat was moving slowly.
• 23 May 2009 Spokesman-Review (Spokane Washington) “Lake CdA Boater Injured in Accident” reports N. McMordie, 25 year old male from Denver Colorado, was on Lake Coeur d’Alene near Carlin Bay this afternoon. “He fell over the back of the boat and the propeller got him” per a Sgt. with the County Sheriff’s Department. Fire Department EMTs responded to the Third Street Public Boat Launch about 3:30 pm. Mr. McMordie was taken to Kootenai Medical Center.
• 23 May 2009 Star News Online (Wilmington North Carolina) “Missing Man Last Seen in Waters Off Carolina Beach” reports on Memorial Weekend injuries this Saturday 23 May. They included a man in his 20’s or 30’s trying to climb into his boat in Masonboro Inlet. He seriously injured his leg on its propeller and was taken to New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

Memorial Day Weekend Saturday May 23 – Monday May 25, 2009

• 22 May 2009 Lakeland Times (Minocqua Wisconsin) “Life Vest is Police Chiefs Life Saver” reports Andy Gee, Minocqua Police Chief, was teaching his son how to operate a boat Sunday evening 17 May on Lake Minocqua. The boy hit the gas a little to fast and the Chief fell over the stern. As he fell in, he tried to avoid the propeller, but it caught him on the arm and chest. His life vest partially protected him from the propeller (photo of it is shown with the article), as a result, he only received superficial cuts to his chest and arm. His arm did require minor surgery, but his injuries were not life threatening.
• 18 May 2009 News Journal Online (Dayton Beach Florida) “DeBarry Boater Injured by Propeller” reports J. Rimkezics and some friends launched a 31 foot high performance twin engine Scarab on Lake Monroe about 2:30pm Sunday 17 May. Mr. Rimkezics, age 33, noticed water coming in, recognized the plug was missing, found one and jumped in to install the plug while the engines were still running. When he went under to install the plug, “one of the propellers sliced into his arms and chest.” He was life flighted to Orlando Regional Medical Center. Investigators do not believe alcohol was a factor.
  An image a WESH news report identifies the vessel as “Lying Behind” and includes a video report.
• 16 May 2009 Star News Online (North Carolina) ) (OFFSHORE Accident) “Boaters Save Diver Who Hit Propeller of His Craft” reports C. Roberts, age 46 of Hope Mills, was about 30 miles offshore this afternoon. About 1:30pm the Coast Guard was notified a man diving near the tower at Frying Pan Shoals had been hit in the head by the propeller of his boat. A passing boat rescued him which was very helpful at it would have taken the Coast Guard close to an hour to get out there. Another nearby boat put a emergency medical technician on board. USCG met the boat that rescued him, and escorted it to Oak Island. Mills was then life flighted to New Hanover Regional Medical Center.
  A USCG news release indicates a wave pushed the boat into him. It credits the commercial diving vessel Aquatic Safari 1 and the recreational vessel Whiplash as being instrumental in the rescue.
• 11 May 2009 Independent Mail (Anderson South Carolina) “Seven Hurt When Boats Collide on Hartwell Lake” reports on a collision of two boats near Charlie T’s restaurant on U.S. 76 where Six and Twenty River enters Hartwell Lake in Anderson South Carolina. Seven were injured, five were transported the hospital, including a woman “seriously injured when she was struck by the propeller.” She was thought to have been taken to AnMed Health Medical Center.
• 4 May 2009 Island Packet (South Carolina) “Bluffton Woman Critical After Fall From Boat Into May River” reports S. Burgado, a 23 year old woman from Bluffton South Carolina, was in a boat with seven friends near Alljoy Beach Landing on May River near Bluffton on Saturday evening May 2nd. The boat operator made a sharp left turn to pickup a fallen wake boarder, she fell overboard, and was hit by the boat and motor. She had “deep cuts in her face and legs after being hit by the propeller.” She was life flighted to Savannah Memorial Health University Medical Center about 6pm.
• April 2009 Accident Date – 23 March 2010 WCBD (Texas) “Surgeons Reattach Teen’s Arm Severed by Boat Propeller” reports on the recovery of Kristen Kilpatrick who was struck at age 18 by a propeller near Hico Texas in April 2009. Her arm was almost severed. A beautiful young woman who rode horses competitively, now paints, can ride again, but may never be able to ride competitively again. A Facebook group Prayers for Kristen initially covered her accident.
• May 2009 Accident Date – 6 August 2009 Kentucky.com “14-Year-Old Lexington Boy Receives Hero Award” reports Lesta Rivera-Lozada, a 14 year old boy from Lexington Kentucky was boating with an 11 year old boy on Taylorsville Lake in May. He was watching his Trever Ludick, 11 year old male, wake board when Trever’s board flipped and knocked him unconscious. Lester managed to get him into the boat “before his own leg was sucked into the propeller.” When he climbed back on board he and others onboard became aware of the extent of his own injuries. He “fractured his fibula and ruptured a nerve in his leg.” Lester was hospitalized for about eight days. He just received the Kids Wish Network “Hero of the Month” award.
• 30 April 2009 Liverpool Daily Post (North Wales) “Leg Cut by Yacht Propeller” reports a 69 year old male fell from a dinghy off Red Wharf Bay on Anglesey at 2:09 pm yesterday (April 29th). The propeller cut his right leg and ankle, “he suffered severe lecerations and lost a lot of blood.” The man was life flighted to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.
• COMMERCIAL VESSELS – 25 April 2009 Stabroek News (Guyana) “Goldsmith Critical After Boats Collide” reports T. Sukdeo, a 57 year old male goldsmith of Vreed-en-Hoop Railway Line, West Coast Demerara, was onboard a small passenger boat, “Shadow”, yesterday 24 April. The “Shadow” was loaded with passengers and headed to the Georgetown Ferry Stelling (boarding area). As it was approaching the Stelling, the Shadow slowed to allow a twin engine fibre-aluminum boat, “S.V. GEO” to pass. S.V. GEO is conducting nearshore surveys for finding the best landing for a communications cable and was thought to have been ferrying workers out to a larger vessel at sea. S.V. GEO’s captain seemingly did not see the Shadow and hit it broadside at full speed and left the scene. Mr. Sukdeo was ejected from the Shadow and hit by the engine’s propeller. He was taken to Georgetown Public Hospital where he lost his left eye, is on life support and has not regained consciousness. Doctors told relatives he is fighting for his life.
  There are some photos of the Georgetown Stelling on Panoramio. The article above includes a photo of the “Shadow.”
• 19 April 2009 Accident Date – 29 September 2014 The Gazette (Arizona) describes a 2009 Virgin Islands accident. “Family, Friends Witness Healing From Warrior Games Firsthand” reports Nicholas Dadgostar was snorkeling in the Virgin Islands on 19 April 2009 on a break while there with the U.S. Air Force supporting a visit by the U.S. President. A commercial fishing boat struck him, breaking his left leg and puncturing his left lung. “His right leg, left hand, and left ankle were then caught in the boat’s propeller.” Six months later he lost his leg below the knee. Now he is competing in the Wounded Warrior Games at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
• 17 April 2009 Palm Beach Post (Florida) “13-Year-Old Struck by Boat Propeller in Tequesta” reports firefighters responded to a call at the northwest end of the Loxahatchee River, near the Tequesta Country Club and found a 13 year old boy in the water that “had been hit by the propeller multiple times.” An FWC spokesperson said the boy may have tripped and fallen from the pontoon boat. The boat’s driver was also a juvenile. The injured boy was life flighted to St. Mary’s Medical Center.
• 16 April 2009 WBZ (Boston Massachusetts) “Girl Cut by Boat Propeller in Foxboro” reports an 11 year old girl was struck in the back by a boat propeller in a Foxboro reservoir this afternoon (16 April). She was being rushed to a Boston Hospital.
  The Boston Herald reported on the 17th – the accident happened at Neponset Reservoir in Foxboro, she fell from a skiff, while struggling in the water, she was struck by the propeller, and life flighted to Tufts Medical Center.
  The Sun Chronicle also had a nice report on April 17.
• MAYBE – 14 April 2009 On the Waterfront (Cnewspubs) “Injured NPR Boaters Rescued After Their Circling Boat Smashes Channel Marker” reports from Hudson Florida. Two boaters from New Port Richey were on a 14 foot Carolina skiff in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday 12 April. They were both ejected when the boat’s steering linkage broke and the boat hit a channel marker pole near the Hudson boat ramp about 2:45 pm. One of the two ejected, S.R. Hall, a 46 year old woman, received head and arm trauma, “POSSIBLY from the boat’s propeller”.
  We will follow up on this accident if more information becomes available.
• 13 April 2009 Weekend Post (South Africa) “Powerboater Loses Thumb as Boats Collide” reports P. Louw of Klerksdorp, North West Province was racing in the P750 Red Square Inflatable Boat World Championships in Nelson Mandela Bay on Friday 10 April. A boat hit his boat from the side, his boat then hit a buoy, flipped, and landed on him. He lost his right thumb and his right forearm was badly cut by his boat’s propeller. His right arm hung by threads and it is not clear if he we regain use of his hand. He was taken to Greenacres Hosptial and in surgery for 6 hours.
• D 6 April 2009 KCA3 (Sacramento CA) “Sacramento Man Dies in Boat Accident: Victim Hit by Propeller” reports Michael Rivera, 43 year old male from Sacramento, fell from his small boat in Snodgrass Slough “and was struck several times by the propeller.” Another boater tried to rescue him, but arrived too late.
  Other reports indicate he fell in while fishing about 30 miles south of Sacramento near Walnut Grove.
  News10ABC reported the accident happened around 10:30 am. Mr. Rivera was fishing with a friend in a separate boat when he slipped and fell in. His friend took him to Wimpy’s Marina where he was pronounced dead. Mr. Rivera was a Sacramento County Probation Officer.
• March 2009 Accident Date – 22 August 2010 TheTimesNews.com (Burlington North Carolina)”Against All Odds” reports reports Lt. jg T.J. Stecker was at Pensacola Florida for Navy flight training in March 2009. He was boating with some friends, fell over the side, and his left leg was struck by the propeller. He lost his leg, was later fitted with a prosthetic, and has since returned to Naval Flight Officer training.
• D 24 March 2009 Tampa Bay Online “Friday Drowning Victim Hit by Boat” reports Richard Boisvert, age 51 or Sebring FL, fell from a 12 foot flat bottom wooden boat on Dinner Lake about 4:45 pm Friday 20 February. The boat was powered by a 15 HP outboard. The public information officer for Florida Fish and Wildlife reported the boat came back around and hit Mr. Boisvert who drowned late Friday afternoon. He was apparently hit by his boat’s propeller.
  A 20 March News Sun report says the man killed was test running a boat. By the time witnesses got to him he was hanging on the boat with “obvious injuries to his torso”. It also includes some images of the boat and its Johnson outboard.
• D 10 March 2009 New Straits Times (Malaysia) “Pahang: Diver Killed by Propeller” reports Go Ayaka, 29 year old Japanese lady living in Singapore, was diving with friends between Pulau Tioman and Pulau Pulai about 6pm Saturday March 7th. She was near a stationary boat when someone started the engine. She “died due to severe shoulder and neck injuries.”
• 9 March 2009 The Post Searchlight (Bainbridge Georgia) “Man Injured in Boating Accident” reports R. Hatton, 49 year old male, of Seminole County was riding in a fishing boat with a friend about 8:30am Saturday morning (7 March) on on the Flint River near Faceville Landing. The boat reportedly hit something in the water, Mr. Hatton was ejected and “his leg was badly cut by the propeller.”. He was taken to Hales Landing. EMS personnel requested a medical helicopter due to the extent of his injuries, but the helicopter was grounded in fog. He was taken by ambulance to Memorial Hospital in Bainbridge and later transferred to a hospital in Tallahassee Florida.
• D 9 March 2009 The Australian (Australia) “Teen Hit by Boat Propeller While Fishing Near Broome” reports a 16 year old boy speared a stingray from a boat off Broome in
  NorthWest Australia yesterday (8 March). The skipper turned the boat around to pickup the stingray and the boy fell over the bow a little after 4pm WDT. “The boat ran over him and he was struck by the propeller.” The young man was life flighted to Broome Regional Hospital, but died during the flight. 

  WAToday reports the accident happened nearer One Arm Pointe, a remote area north of Broome.

• 5 March 2009 TopNews.in (India) “He Will Walk Again, Thanks to Coast Guard” reports R. Gopal, a 40 year old fisherman from Bihar, was fishing about 28 kilometers off Jakhau on February 24th with a four member crew. While heaving the fishing net, his leg got hung up in it and he fell in from the rear. When the crew pulled him up, they found his left leg had been “completely cut off by the propeller and was joined with the knee just with skin.” The Coast Guard was contacted, quickly reached the site and rushed him to Bhuj District Hospital. Doctors said his leg would need amputation and were preparing to send him to a distant Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad. Instead, he was taken to a private hospital in Rajkot where doctors were successful in reattaching his leg at the expense of the boat owner.
• 18 Feb 2009 CDNN “Another Florida Boat Propeller Accident Severely Injures Scuba Diver” reports J. Diver, age 66, was scuba diving at Pickles Reef in the Florida Keys when a boat hit him and sped away. His brother pulled him out of the water and took him to shore. The boat with the man who was struck was flying a diver down flag. Mr. Diver was about 100 feet from the flag when he was struck. He was taken to Mariner’s Hospital, then life flighted to Jackson Memorial Hospital. He had “two long lacerations from the boat’s twin propellers across his lower legs.” This follows a January strike in Florida in which a diver lost both legs to a propeller when ran over by a boat near Sandsprit Park.
• COMMERCIAL VESSEL 7 Feb 2009 TMC News from Goucester Daily Times (Massachusetts) “OSHA, Coast Guard Probe Diver’s Accident” reports T. Barnes, age 48, owner of Freedom Diving Corp in Gloucester, was cleaning the propeller and working below a fishing vessel, Ocean Pride III, tied up near Gloucester Seafood Auction on Thursday 5 February. The boat’s owner started the engine just after 3pm, unaware a diver was working on his vessel. The vessel was not put into gear, but its propeller does turn slowly with the engine running. They suspect this is what injured the man. Mr. Barnes had been hired to clean the boat and spoken to the boat owner four hours earlier. A man on the Ocean Pride III used a grapple to get Mr. Barnes’head above the water and the boat’s owner entered the water to assist with that, he was soon joined by a fire fighter/paramedic, then rescued by a 25 foot Coast Guard rescue boat, taken to a Coast Guard station, and life flighted to Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
  Later reports indicate Mr. Barnes received head and other injuries when his air line and tending line became entangled in the prop.
• D 28 Jan 2009 Pattaya Daily News (Thailand) “Speedboat Propeller Kills Swimming Fisherman at Pattaya Beach” reports Mr. Chaiwat Nuntanon, age 21 of Sattahip, Chonburi Thailand, was swimming near a boat off Pattaya Beach on 27 January. Mr. Nuntanon was near the boat about one kilometer off shore searching for shellfish while a friend remained in the boat. The accident happened before 1 pm. An approaching speedboat, the twin engined Pornchai, with 16 tourists onboard drove by as Mr. Nuntanon came up for air. A propeller struck him and he died at sea from his injuries including wounds in his right waist and back. The news report includes several photos of the victims body on a pier with his body intentionally blurred.
• 23 Jan 2009 The Newcastle Herald (Australia) “Man Struck by Propeller” reports a 27 year old man was on a boat moored at Nelson Bay last night (22 January). It is thought he may have been trying to fix the boat’s engine. About 8pm he was “struck across the leg, shoulder, and back by the propeller”. The man also lost a portion of his hand when he tried to pull his leg free. He was life flighted to medical care.
• 23 Jan 2009 Gold Coast (Australia) “Coast Speedboat Horror” reports M. Johnson, age 49 of Palm Beach, was swimming 10 to 15 meters off the south bank of Tallebudgera Creek about 500 yards west of Tallebudgera Creek State Park around 12:30pm Thursday 22 January (date per another Gold Coast report on this accident). He was struck by a boat, and “his leg was sliced open by the propeller”. Mr. Johnson was taken to Tweed Hospital. “His achilles was just shredded as if it is gone and there are bad cuts all the way up.” A Savage boat driven by a teenager and powered by a 150 HP Mercury outboard struck him. Water police and the boat driver re-enacted the accident to help investigators understand what happened.
• 15 Jan 2009 The Nelson Mail (Australia) “Young Yachtie Injured” reports an 11 year old girl from Nelson was learning how to sail yesterday (14 January). She was hit by the patrol boat’s propeller while waiting to be picked up from her capsized boat. She was taken to Nelson Hospital about 10:50 am suffering a cut and bruise to her lower leg after it was hit by an outboard motor propeller at Nelson Yacht Club.
• 10 Jan 2009 MSNBC “Diver Caught in Boat Propeller Has Both Legs Amputated” reports from Stuart Florida of a 26 year old man, one of 5 divers spearfishing offshore near Stuart, who was hit by a boat propeller at Sandsprit Park off Southeast St. Lucie Boulevard in Stuart shortly after 3pm January 9th. The man was life flighted to St. Mary’s Medical Center where both his legs were amputated from the knees down.
  Rob Murphy was the diver. His recovery process has since been covered in the press.
• D 7 Jan 2009 Stuff (New Zealand) “Disbelief as Girl Killed Water Skiing” reports Genevieve Lewis, age 9 from Eketahuna, was water skiing on 6 January behind her parents boat on Lake Taupo at Walpahihi Bay (about 2 kilometers south of the center of Taupo). She fell, her boat was coming back to get her, but she was ran over by another boat coming from another direction. The driver stopped and assisted, but she died at the scene. A later 14 July 2009 Stuff report confirms it was a propeller accident.
• Unknown 2009 Accident Date – 18 September 2010 Kenosha News (Wisconsin) “Power Boat Racers Churn Up Lake Andrea” reports Kurtis Nydahl of Bristol will be back this year. It will be his first time to compete outside the junior division, “a year after a propeller severely tore up tendons in his lower leg.” His family has been racing for several years.