Media coverage of 2012 recreational boat propeller accidents.
If you are aware of coverage of a 2012 propeller accident that is not reported here, please contact us.
Fatal accidents are coded immediately in front of the reporting data as:
D indicates a U.S. fatality
D indicates a fatality outside the U.S.
- 3 January 2013 The Times of India (reporting accident in Malaysia) “13,000 Boat People Flee Myranmar, Bangladesh: UN” reports thousands fled Myranmar and Bangladesh in 2012 with hundreds dying at sea. About 500 swam to shore in Malaysia last weekend after being at sea for 15 days. One “died after being hit by a boat propeller when he jumped into the sea.”
- 17 December 2012 ABC News Australia “Man and Child Injured in Fishing Boat Accident” reports Two men and a three-year old baby were returning to Darwin Harbor about 8:30pm December 16th from a fishing trip. The boat hit a dredge pipe, a 34 year old male and the baby were ejected. The man ejected was hit by the propeller. The man left onboard was able to pull the two back onboard and make it to shore. All three were taken to Royal Darwin Hospital. The dredge pipe they hit is part of the work being done for the new Marine Supply Base at East Arm Wharf. Other reports indicate the ejected man’s left leg was severely injured by the propeller.
- D 3 December 2012 “Student Killed in Dominica After Being Hit by Boat’s Propeller” TheStar (Toronto Ontario news report of an accident in Dominica) reports Casey Schulman, 22 of Falls Church, Virginia was with more than 50 students visiting Dominca (small island known for diving experiences just south east of Puerto Rico) as part of the University of Virginia’s “Semester at Sea” program. On Saturday December 1st, a group of students hired a dive boat independent of the Semester at Sea activities. They went on a snorkeling excursion, then to the west coast of Dominica where some students played in the water and others were on the beach. Casey Schulman was in the water when the dive boat was reversing after picking up some food, she was struck by the propeller, and declared dead at a local hospital. We provide in depth coverage of this accident on a separate page at Casey Shulman, Dominica accident
- D USCG crew member 3 December 2012 Las Angeles Times “Affidavit Details Violent Struggle After Coast Guardsman Killed” reports Terrell Horne III, a USCG a crew member on the Halibut, an 87 foot USCG boat sent on a drug interdiction mission very early Saturday morning December 1st. A USCG aircraft had spotted a recreational boat near Smugglers Cove by Santa Cruz Island (California). Aerial recon soon spotted a second boat as well. Horne and three others left the Halibut in a small RIB to search for the panga (a style of small outboard boats often used in the drug trade in the area). They found it about 1:20am Sunday morning December 2nd. They ordered the panga to stop, but it proceeded to attempt to ram the small RIB. Those on the USCG RIB started firing at the panga and trying to get out of the way. The panga struck the rib, ejecting Horne and one other crew member. Horne was stuck in the head by a propeller and pronounced dead later by paramedics. The other ejected USCG crew member received a laceration to his knee. The panga escaped but USCG encountered and tried to stop it several more times Sunday before the panga finally broke down and stopped. After a struggle and some pepper spray the two men onboard surrendered. The captain of the panda said he was trying to deliver some fuel to some friends who were lost. The panga captain and his lone crew member were illegal aliens from Mexico. USCG suspects they were out there with a several of fuel containers to refuel a drug boat or to refuel a boat smuggling illegal aliens. The panga was about a 30 foot open bowed fishing vessel.
This accident will not be included in BARD because it is a government vessel on a law enforcement mission. - COMMERCIAL VESSEL ACCIDENT – Commercial D 16 November 2012 The Telegraph (Illinois) “Worker Killed in Hartford Accident” reports from Hartford Illinois on an accident during repairing a tugboat on the Mississippi River on Thursday November 15th. Workers were attempting to remove a 4 ton propeller from a tugboat when a 23 year old male was struck by the propeller. He was knocked into the river, and retrieved, but attempts to resuscitate him failed. He was pronounced dead at the site. Other reports indicate the accident happened about 5 pm and he was only in the water about 30 seconds. Officials praise the efforts and heroism of those who jumped in to save him and gave him CPR. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch later reported he was struck by a chain that broke and died of blunt force trauma to his pelvis.
- 13 November 2012 Phuket News (Thailand) “Korean Tourist Survives Gash in Head from Longtail Propeller” reports Kang Chulgue, a 30 year old Korean tourist, was snorkeling off Koh Panyee in Phang Nga Bay with five others on November 12th. A longtail boat passed through the area, those with him recognized he had been struck in the head by the propeller, and rushed him by boat to a pier in Phang Nga. He was then put in a tour van and rushed to Phuket. The van was caught in rush hour traffic but was able to catch the attention of some passing Soonthorn Municipality rescue workers who were then able to get him to Phuket International Hospital.
- 9 October 2012 Accident Date – December 5, 2012 Reported by victim – California accident. A couple was out salmon fishing on the Sacramento River in a 1976 14 foot Gregor aluminum fishing boat with a new 20 horsepower Yamaha outboard. They left out of Thornton Marina. As they approached the main channel a larger boat came by. The couple’s small boat hit the wake, then the second wake to hit them ejected the woman (S. Houck). She was struck by the propeller. When she surfaced she saw the boat in the Circle of Death. Her husband tried to get her onboard but could not. He threw her a cushion and they both went for shore. The boat had nearly sank, her husband had to bail out some water before they could use it to take here to transportation to a hospital. She was going into shock. She was taken to Lodi Memorial Emergency Hospital, then life flighted to South Sacramento Kaiser Trauma Center. S. Houck suffered several prop cuts up her front torso, broken ribs, and a punctured lung. She credits being deep in the water (not wearing a life jacket) with minimizing the depth of her prop wounds and saving her life.
- 7 October 2012 – 9MSN (Australia) “Qld Girl Injured by Boat Propeller” reports a family on a boat outing off the coast of Hamilton Island in north Queensland on Sunday morning October 7. The boat throttle became stuck, the boat went into the Circle of Death, a five year old girl and her mother were ejected from the boat while her father and her younger brother were able to stay onboard. The girl suffered propeller “injuries to her upper thigh and buttocks” and her mother suffered injuries to her hand. Both were life flighted o Mackay Bay Hospital. Other reports indicate the accident happened at about noon.
- COMMERCIAL ACCIDENT – D Commercial 22 September 2012 CoosBayWorld (Oregon) “Ore. Man Killed by Boat He Was Operating” reports John Vanderbeek, 69 of Waldport Oregon, was operating a 25 foot inflatable boat on Alsea Bay on Friday 21 September. He had recently repaired the boat and was taking it out for a test drive. Witnesses said the boat hit its own wake, John Vanderbeek was ejected, the boat went into the “Circle of Death”, and struck him. Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Deputies found the boat was not equipped with a an engine shutoff tether. Oregon Live reports the boat was a Zodiac and the accident happened about noon.
USCG later reported the man killed was apparently a mechanic working on the boat so it will be considered a Commercial Accident and will not listed in BARD (not in the recreational boat part). - D 16 September 2012 Accident Date – 21 September 2012 PGIC “Mark Barhanovich Boat Propeller Accident at Deer Island Near Biloxi, MS”. Our coverage reports Mark Bahanovich, 54 of Biloxi, was on a fishing outing Sunday morning September 16th. He and a friend were in a boat near Deer Island. The boat hit a submerged object, the outboard motor broke from the transom, and flipped into the boat. He was struck in the back by the propeller and was pronounced dead about 90 minutes later. Unofficial reports suspect the boat hit a dredge pipe.
- (struck after drowning) 14 September 2012 KNOP News2 (North Platt, Nebraska) “Body Parts Found at Sutherland” reports Larry Sack, 61, was reported missing by his family back on September 2nd. Last week his pickup truck and fishing pole were found beside the canal leading to Sutherland Reservoir. Thursday morning 13 September, someone searching for Mr. Sack found a leg and a foot at Sutherland Reservoir. A local anthropologist said they had been cut off by a propeller. DNA testing is underway to determine if they belong to Mr. Sack. A 13 September update in the North Platt Post says the foot and leg were found in the water in Sutherland Reservoir. Officials now speculate current has carried his body from the canal into the reservoir.
USCG later reported the state says he was fishing from the bank, somehow ended up in the water, drowned, and was later struck by a prop. - COMMERCIAL ACCIDENT – D Commercial 11 September 2012 Edgewater-DavidsonvillePatch (Maryland) “Man Dies After Being Struck by Boat Propeller” reports Lewis Jack Sprouse, 29 of Hartwood, was working a crab trotline from a 17 foot Mako boat on the Patuxent River on Sunday Morning September 9th. He got his leg caught in the trotline, was pulled overboard, and the boat started to circle. When the propeller struck Mr. Sprouse, his body stalled the engine about a mile south of Sheridan Point. Maryland Natural Resource Police (NSP) were on scene about 8:45 am Sunday and requested the help of a local dive team to recover the body. His body was taken to Baltimore for an autopsy.
USCG later reported this man was commercial crabbing so the accident will not be listed in BARD. - D September 2012 Accident Date – 9 September 2013 New Straights Times (Malaysia) “Written Safety Guidelines For Dive Shop Operators, Divers” reports on new safety guidelines and a September 2012 Pahang accident in which Lim Yu Leng, 60 of Selangor, was struck and killed by a boat propeller off Nenasi Jetty near Pekan.
- 1 September 2012 Nashua Telegraph “Action Ma. Boy Recovering After Legs Get Tangled in Boat Propeller” reports from Gilford, New Hampshire that a ten year old boy from Action Massachusetts was riding on the transom of a boat backing out of shallow waters of Lake Winnipesaukee between Bear Island and Mark Island about 4pm on Saturday 1 September. The boat was rocked by a wave, the boy fell overboard backwards, and was struck by the propeller. He received multiple lacerations below his left knee and was taken by ambulance to Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia, New Hampshire. Before the boy fell in, there were four adults and four children onboard the boat. They had been swimming, the boat drifted to shallow water, they reboarded, and the operator was backing out to deeper water.
- D 28 August 2012 Cyprus Mail (Cyprus) “Killed by Propeller” reports the body of a male diver about 40 years old was found off Yeroskipou in Paphos, the southwest corner of the Island of Cyprus, on Saturday 25 August. A pathologist for the State examined the body on August 27 and said the man had been struck by a speedboat propeller, and probably died instantly.
- D 21 August 2012 North Country Now (New York) “Man Dies After Leg is Mangled by Boat Propeller in St. Lawrence River Near Morristown” reports Christopher J. Tobiasz, 57 of South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, was water skiing on the St. Lawrence River just west of Morristown about 1pm Monday 20 August. He was water skiing behind his personal boat that was being operated by a member of his family. Mr. Tobiasz finished skiing and was in process of boarding the boat when his left leg was severely struck by the propeller. Family members and others nearby got him back in the boat, took him to the dock, and administered CPR while waiting on police and medical crews to arrive. He was taken to River Hospital in Alexandria Bay where he was pronounced dead. WNEP identified the deceased as being a medical doctor and the hospital he was taken to as E. J. Nobel Hospital. After the accident, he was taken by boat to Chippewa Bay. Sun Gazette later reported Dr. Christopher Tobiasz was a cardiologist at Susquehanna Health Hospital with a wife and two children.
- (Not a Prop) 19 August 2012 Watertown Daily Times (New York) “Sheriff Deputies Investigating Boat Accident in Alex Bay” reports a woman was on a personal watercraft (PWC) on Goose Bay early Sunday night August 19 about 6:30pm. The PWC was struck by a boat, she was rescued by those on the boat that struck her, and taken to Samaritan Medical Center by ambulance. The woman “suffered a major cut on one of her legs” thought to be caused by the boat’s propeller.
USCG later reported the state says the injury was caused by the boat’s keel, not by the propeller. - 18 August 2012 MyFoxAtlanta (Georgia) “Girl Cut by Propeller After Falling From Boat on Lake Lanier” reports a 17 year old girl was riding on the front of a boat towing a tuber Saturday afternoon on Lake Lanier. The tuber fell, the boat operator stopped the boat, the boat hit a wave, and the girl fell off the front of the boat. She then passed under the boat and “she was cut several times from her shoulder to her hamstring by the boat’s propeller.” DNR rangers said the boat did not have a front retainer.
- 17 August 2012 Boston.com (Connecticut accident) “Conn. Girl Hurt in Fall From Speed Boat” reports a 12 year old girl from Naugatuck was on Lake Zoar near Monroe Connecticut on Friday 17 August. She was in a boat acting as the spotter for a rider on a towed tube. About 4pm, the boat hit a wake during a turn, she was ejected and struck by the boat propeller. The girl “suffered a gash on he leg” and was taken to Bridgeport Hospital.
- 15 August 2012 MarinadelRayPatch (California) “Man Suffers Minor Injuries After Boating Accident” reports a man was on the bow of a boat about 200 yards east of the breakwater at Marina del Ray harbor on Tuesday August 14. He fell overboard and was struck by the propeller. A Sheriff’s Deputy noted the man’s injuries were much less severe than those of many other propeller accidents he has seen. He was treated by paramedics at the scene.
- 15 August 2012 Accident Date – 2 November 2012 QuintenNews (Ontario Canada) “Teenager Fined After Boating Accident” reports a young man operating a boat struck a 12 year old boy swimming in a lake that was south of Trenton on August 15, 2012. The victim “suffered serious injuries to his torso when he was struck by the boat’s propeller …”
- 15 August 2012 Accident Date – 22 August CKWS TV (New York) “Tubing Accident Update” reports that on Wednesday afternoon August 15, a 12 year old boy from Bellview was attending a day camp. He was tubing on an inland lake near North Beach Provincial Park. He had fallen from a tube or stopped tubing and was swimming back to shore when he was struck by a power boat operated by a 19 year old camp counselor. The boy received injuries from his torso from the boat propeller and was taken to Kingston General Hospital.
- 14 August 2012 The Leader (Corning, New York) “Boy Ok After Fall From Boat in Upstate NY Lake” reports a 12 year old boy was in a 25 horsepower outboard powered boat on Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks on Monday August 13. The boat hit a large wave, he was ejected, and struck by the propeller. He was rescued by relatives, but firefighters responded and were able to stop the boat in the Circle of Death nearby.
- 13 August 2012 Star-Telegram (Fort Worth Texas) “Woman Accused of Backing Over Swimmers With Boat at Lake Grapevine” reports a 33 year old woman is said to have backed over two women at Lake Grapevine, injuring them with the boat propeller on Sunday evening August 12th. They were taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. It happened about 6pm on the northwest side of the lake near Marshall Creek. The women were swimming in shallow water.
- 11 August 2012 BBC News Wales (UK) “Boy Caught in Boat Propeller Off Porthmadog, Gwynedd” reports a 13 year old boy was brought to shore at Porthmadog about 15:00 BST today with a serious leg injury after being caught in a boat propeller. While life flight was called to the scene. He was taken by ambulance to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor (article is not exactly clear if he was taken by the air ambulance or a ground based ambulance). A Coast Guard spokesman said at least four people were in a boat out for a roam. Other than that “we don’t know what happened”. A 16 August Cambrian News Online report states the boy’s leg required 604 stitches. They estimate it will be 6 months before he can walk again. A September 1st Daily Post article said Cian Williams, 13 of Porthmadog, was out with friends when a speedboat came by, those on board said they were going to get some fuel and invited Cian and his friends along for the ride. Cian and his friends boarded the speedboat. On the way back from fueling up, the speedboat stopped to allow those on board to swim. Cian jumped off the front of the boat, swam around to the stern and reboarded. He jumped off the front again to repeat his prior actions, but the boat operator was on the phone, noticed the boat was drifting toward some rocks, and started the motor as Cian was boarding at the ladder. Daily Post reports he needed nearly 700 stitches. We cover this accident in depth at Cian Williams Boat Propeller Accident.
- August 9, 2012 accident date – we are heard of a possible propeller accident on Lake Mohave near Katherin’s Landing on August 9th. If anyone knows any details or sees it in the press, please contact us.
USCG later reported an accident on the other side of the lake on this date. A victim left a boat, it drifted over them, and they were hit on the head by the boat, not by the prop. We were unable to find our previous references but suspect USCG’s account is this accident. - 9 August 2012 Daily Gazette (UK) “Couple Saves Boy Hit by Propeller” reports from Colchester of a couple on holiday. The man dove in to save the life of a young boy that had been struck by a boat propeller. The lady helped stop the bleeding. The rescuers were from Tiptree. The accident date is not provided.
- 8 August 2012 The Olive Press (Spain) “A Young Boy Struggles to Stay Alive After Boat Accident Near Nerja” reports a 12 year old boy on holiday was on a RIB near Maro Beach, near Nerja. He fell in and was struck by the propeller. The boy “received injuries to his abdomen, arm, and both legs”. He was life flighted to Malaga. Other reports indicate the accident happened on Saturday August 4th.
- 7 August 2012 ABC4 (Salt Lake City, Utah) “13-year-old Injured by Boat Propeller at Pineview Reservoir” reports a 13 year old girl from Odgen Utah was in a boat on Pineview Reservoir today. While releasing a line to a tube she became tangled in the rope and fell in. The boat was at idle, her right foot was struck by the propeller. The teenager was life flighted from near the Yacht Club to Primary Children’s Hospital. The Stanford Examiner says the accident happened about 5:40pm. KSL says she was letting out line to a tube, became entangled in the line and it drug her overboard where she was then pulled into the prop.
- 7 August 2012 Baltimore Sun (Maryland) “Havre de Grace Man Injured by Boat Propeller” reports a 40 year old many from Havre de Grace was at the City Yacht Basin about 12:35pm on Sunday August 5th. Several boats were together when somehow he got too close to a propeller. His leg was lacerated from his knee to his hip. Investigators say the water was pretty rough at that time. They think he will be in the hospital about 4 days.
- D 7 August 2012 The Sacramento Bee (California) “Boy Killed in San Diego Bay Boat Mishap is ID’d” reports Sebastien Felix, a 7 year old boy from Bonita, was on his father’s fishing boat in San Diego Bay on Sunday August 6th. His father, an uncle, and a friend of the family were coming back in from a fishing trip Sunday afternoon when Sebastien Felix fell from the 20 foot boat as it was docking. He was struck by the propeller and died at a hospital. News10 says it happened about 2pm near a boat ramp in Pepper Park. He was taken to Rady Children’s Hospital. Other reports indicate the boy’s father may have been in the water and the boy may have jumped in. He was not seen by the boat operator.
- D 7 August 2012 Malta Today (Malta) “Tarxien Snorkeler Died of Lacerated Skull by Propeller, Police Search For Boat” reports Charles Brigone, 44 of Tarxien, was diving on Sunday 6 August about 9:45am at Zonqor. When he failed to return, AFM (Armed Forces of Malta) found his diving float, and search found his body just off Zonqor Point. An autopsy found he died “due to a lacerated skull when he was hit by a propeller.” Another report identified him as Carmel Brignone, leaving a wife and a 15 year old son.
- 6 August 2012 KomoNews (Seattle Washington) “Boy Injured by Boat’s Propeller in Mayfield Lake” reports from Mossyrock Washington of a 12 year old boy swimming in Mayfield Lake. About 3pm his father inadvertently put the boat in reverse and his “the boat’s propeller cut the boy on his thigh, chest, and torso.” The boy was life flighted to an Oregon hospital. KIROTV says the boy was on the lake with his Beaverton Washington family on Sunday August 5. He was life flighted to Emmanuel Hospital in Portland Oregon.
- 6 August 2012 WPEC (Destin Florida) “Teen on Rented Watercraft Loses Foot in Collision With Boat’s Stern” reports an Oklahoma teenage male was on a rented PWC on Sunday August 5 off Dustin Florida. The PWC struck the stern of a 38 foot boat. Both the teen and the boat operator tried to prevent the collision. The boy’s foot was cut off when the PWC went into the propeller. He was taken to a Pensacola Florida hospital. NewsOn6 here in Oklahoma identified the boy as 17 year old Patrick Ahern of Norman, Oklahoma and reports he was lift flighted to a hospital in Pensacola where his foot was then amputated. NWFDaily News says the boat was a 38 foot Fountain, the boy was on a Seadoo that was totaled, and he was taken to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. They say the accident happened in Joe’s Bayou. Later reports say he played soccer at his high school and was going to be captain of the cross country team this year.
- D 5 August 2012 Wayne (Fort Wayne Indiana) “Man Dies in Boating Accident” reports a family was pulling some tubers on Lake Latonka near Plymouth Indiana about 4:15 Sunday afternoon August 5th. Some tubers fell, the boat made a turn to go back and pick them up, a man sitting on the top edge (gunwale) of the boat fell in, and was struck by the propeller. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Other reports indicate a life flight helicopter responded to the scene. WSBT later identified the man as Roger R. Martin, 61, of Huntley, Illinois.
- 5 August 2012 Truo (Provincetown Massachusetts) “Boat Propeller Accident in Truro Sends Man to Hospital” reports a man on Cape Cod Bay off Kestrel Lane was struck by a boat propeller about 3:15pm Saturday August 4th. He was taken by ambulance to Cape Cod Hospital.
- 5 August 2012 KHOZ (Missouri) “Texas Teenager Injured in Boating Accident on Table Rock Lake” reports a 16 year old boy was getting ready to water ski near the Port of Kimberling Marina at Kimberling City on Table Rock Lake in Missouri about 1:30pm Saturday August 4th. He was in the water with his water skis on. One of the skis became caught in the boat propeller. The boat operator thought the boat was in neutral. The propeller pulled his leg in. He was life flighted to a Springfield Missouri hospital. A KTTS report says he jumped into the water with his skis on, the propeller caught one of his skis, and pulled him in.
Missouri Water Patrol identified the victim as Josiah G. Holland, 16 year old male from Midlotian, Texas. They were in a 1996 Webcraft and he was taken to Cox South Hospital. They (MWP) say the ski rope became caught in the propeller and pulled him in. - 31 July 2012 Accident Date – 17 September 2012 Syracuse.com “New Deputy Nearly Loses His Foot in Accident Just 4 Days After Police Academy Graduation: Oswego Neighbors Today” reports Matthew Pritchard 22, along with his brother, one other young men, and one young woman were in a boat on Lake Ontario on July 31, 2012. A mechanical failure caused the boat to start doing circles at 30mph (the Circle of Death). All three young men were ejected. The young woman remained in the boat, but was thrown against the side of the boat and knocked unconscious. As the boat circled, the propeller struck Matthew Pritchard’s ankle and nearly severed it.
- 31 July 2012 ChesterFirst (UK) “Man Falls on to Boat’s Propeller in River Dee Horror” reports a man, about 54 from the Blacon area, fell from a boat on the River Dee today (July 31) and was then struck by the boat’s propeller. Emergency crews converged to the river between Eccleston and Aldford about 12:30pm. Ambulances were unable to get to the river bank, so the victim was life flighted to Aintree Hospital in Merseyside Hospital. Many crews responded with special equipment to help get him from the water at the Crook of the Dee River. The man had been boating with friends and “suffered horrific leg injuries” when he was struck by the boat propeller.
- 28 July 2012 Accident Date – Accident report from a relative – Livingston Lake, Texas, Juan Manuel Funes, known as Joni, a 30 year old male from Argentina, fell from the back of a boat while loading it on a trailer. The boat operator backed over him and he was struck by the propeller. He was life flighted to Memorial Hermann Hospital. His right leg is being amputated while his left leg is undergoing reconstruction. A fund has been established to help pay his medical costs.
- 26 July 2012 Southport Visitor (UK) “Southport Lifeboat Crews Rescue Fisherman With Leg Trapped in Propeller Shaft” reports a fisherman near the mouth of the River Ribble got his leg caught in the propeller shaft on July 25th. Southport Lifeboat responded about 11:50am along with lifeboats from Lytham and a RAF Valley helicopter. They report the netting vessel had a man with his leg caught in the propeller shaft. He was life flighted to Preston Hospital.
- 23 July 2012 KOLOR10 News (Springfield Missouri) “Swimmer Seriously Hurt After Being Hit by Boat Propeller” reports Andrew Bee, 24 of Shell Knob Missouri, was on the Kings River branch of Table Rock near Point 22 Saturday afternoon July 21st. He jumped off the front of a boat, was ran over, and struck by the boat propeller. He was seriously injured and was taken to a hospital in Springfield.
- 23 July 2012 WGMD (Deleware) “Boating Tragedy Averted As Life Jackets Worn by All Aboard” reports 9 people, including several children and an infant, were in an open boat boat on the Indian River Inlet on Sunday July 21st. The boat was swamped and sank. During the rescue on of the children had his foot “slightly” cut by a boat propeller. He was taken to Beebe Medical Center in Lewes.
- 21 July 2012 Sun Sentinel (Florida) “Boy Falls Into Lake Rose, Nicked by Propeller” reports from Gotha that a young boy fell from a boat on Lake Rose today. The propeller nicked his right leg. He was taken to a local hospital.
- D 20 July 2012 Caller.com (Corpus Christi Texas) “Aransas Pass Police: 16-year-old Girl Killed Friday in Boating Accident” reports a teenage girl (about 16) was on a boat with two other teenage girls and a man near Aransas Pass about 10:30am Friday July 20th. She fell from the front of the boat during a turn, went under the boat, and was struck by the propeller. The boat brought her to the pier at Hampton’s Landing. She had a deep gash running up her head from her neck. She was rushed to a nearby hospital and later pronounced dead. A KRISTV report said the accident happened on Redfish Bay near Dagger Island. Several reports indicate two sisters, their father and their friend (the victim) were on the outing. A KRISTV video shows the boat as a white center console boat powered by what looks like a Suzuki outboard, but it is a bit hard to positively identify the outboard in the video. The victim was from San Antonio and has since been identified as Kali Gorzell, a Smithson Valley sophomore. Interestingly, at approximately the same time as this accident, a teenage boy was somewhat similarly fatally injured in the UK (see the accident below).
- D 20 July 2012 BBC (UK) “Isle of Wight Boat Fall: Boy Badly Injured by Propeller” reports three teenagers and a man were in an inflatable boat off The Needles (a landmark on the Isle of Wight). Two teenage boys fell into the water. One was struck by the propeller. A Coastguard helicopter was already airborne on an exercise and was quickly deployed to the accident. The boy was life flighted to Southampton General Hospital on the mainland. The other teenage boy that fell in was also injured, but less seriously. The second boy was taken by RNLI lifeboat and ambulance to St. Mary’s Hospital in Newport on the Isle of Wight. A report on itvNews said the second boy’s injuries were also caused by the propeller. The accident happened about 4:50pm.
The more seriously injured boy, later identified as Charlie Hutton, died on Saturday July 21st. For full coverage of this propeller accident see our post, Charlie Hutton Killed by Boat Propeller at Isle of Wight - 20 July 2012 Lynn News (UK) “Kings Lynn Fire Crews Rescue Man Trapped on Boat” reports firefighters were called to a boat at Common Staithe Quay about 11 am July 19th. A man had been working in the hold of a boat and got his foot trapped under the propeller. Firemen cut his leg free and carried him off the boat by stretcher. The news report is not clear on exactly how and where he was caught.
- 18 July 2012 London24 (UK) “Teenagers Leg Caught in Boat Propeller on School Trip at Fairlop Waters” reports A Chingford School trip to a lake in Fairlop Waters on Tuesday July 17 resulted in a disaster. About 3:30pm, a boy was building rafts when his leg became entrapped in a motorboat propeller. When authorities arrived the boat was in shallow water but his leg was still trapped in the propeller by his shoelaces. They cut him free and he was life flighted to the Major Trauma Unit of the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.
- D 14 July 2012 Accident Date – 4 May 2013 Fosters “Negligent Homicide Indictment in Fatal Boating Accident” reports Brendan W. Yerry, 28 of Manchester New Hamphshire, was on the gunwales or straddling the bow when the boat operator turned into the wake of another boat on Northwood Lake. Yerry fell overboard, and was fatally struck by the prop about 7:45pm.
- 10 July 2012 Oxford Hills Sun Journal (Maine) “Texas Girl, 15, Suffers Amputation in Boating Accident” reports a boat was pulling two inner tubes on Kezar Lake on Tuesday 10 July. The boat hit a rock, Abby Mueller of Houston Texas flew over the front of the boat. The boat, being operated by her father, ran over her, and she was struck by the propeller. One of her legs was severed above the ankle, she was life flighted to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The boat, taking on water, was taken to a dock at Quisisana Resort in Middle Bay. The other children onboard or being towed were also family members. Interestingly the 13 to 14 year old girl struck in Little Pleasant Bay on July 7th is probably still there in Massachusetts General. Hopefully the victims and families can comfort each other a bit. Conway Daily Sun later reported the boat was a family owned 24 foot Correct Craft and that all three female passengers in the bow were ejected during the collision. The girl’s father was also injured and treated at the scene.
- 8 July 2012 WoodTV (Grand Rapids Michigan) “Boat Propeller Amputates Part of Leg” reports a 23 year old woman from Kalamazoo was tubing on Portage’s Austin Lake in Kalamazoo County about 5:45 pm today (8 July). The boat stopped to pickup another person that had been tubing, the operator did not see her, backed the boat toward her, and she was pulled under toward the propeller, “which cut off her leg near the knee.” She was pulled into the boat, taken to a dock on the south side of the lake, and taken by ambulance to the hospital. The victim was later identified as Kirshaiah Brodie-Stevenson by MLive.com which also notes she was taken to Bronson Methodist Hospital.
- 7 July 2012 Hartford Courant (Hartford Connecticut) “Man Injured in Westport Boating Accident” reports Westport police report a passenger on a boat was struck by the propeller as the boat was headed to Compo Marina. Police logged the call at 5:24 pm Saturday July 7th. The victim’s lower body was badly injured. WestportNow said the victim was 21, taken to Ned Dimes Marina at Compo Beach, then to Norwalk Hospital. The boat was a 26 foot SeaRay Sun Deck. WestportNow later reported the injured man to be a student at Gettysburg College, member of Sigma Delta Epsilon, and in Yale-New Haven Hospital.
- 7 July 2012 Accident Date – 11 July 2012 Times Herald (Solano and Napa County California) “Napa Teenager Seriously Injured in Boat Propeller Accident” reports a 16 year old boy was tubing on Lake Berryessa on Saturday July 7th. About 6:20pm he stopped, the boat operator turned the boat around to pick him up, but did not stop in time. The boat ran over him, his leg was cut by the propeller, he sustained serious injuries and was life flighted to Queen of the Valley Medical Center.
- 7 July 2012 Sacramento Bee (California) “Fisherman Cut by Propeller of Capsized Boat in CA” reports a man was fishing from a boat in Eastman Lake in Madera County northeast of Chowchilla on Saturday 7 July. The boat capsized and he “sustained cuts from the propeller.” The man was life flighted to a nearby hospital.
- 7 July 2012 WCVB (Boston Massachusetts) “Teen Injured After Being Struck by Boat’s Propeller” reports a 13 year old girl was on a boat in Little Pleasant Bay, near Hog Island about 3:30pm today (July 7). She fell off the boat and was struck by the propeller. The girl suffered “extremely traumatic leg injuries”, was taken to Cape Cod Hospital, and life flighted by a Coast Guard helicopter to a hospital in Boston. Several later reports list her age as 14. A July 8 Cape Cod Times report indicates she was entrapped in the propeller. Her swimsuit was entangled in the propeller and firefighters had to cut her free. She was life flighted to Massachusetts General Hospital.
- 6 July 2012 MyDailySentinel (Pomeroy Ohio) “Details Released in July 4 Ohio River Fatality” reports Scott Cunningham, 42, of Albany Ohio was on a PWC / jetski in the Ohio River on July 4th. About 6:10 pm his brother was operating a nearby boat. Scott had been spraying the boat by turning sharply in front of it. Scott Cunningham lost control, fell from the Personal WaterCraft, the boat operated by his brother ran over him, his arm was amputated by the propeller, and he was dead before he could be brought to shore. Per investigators, alcohol was not a factor in the accident. We had a tip this fatality was caused by a propeller and have been watching the news reports of the accident looking to see if one attributed the fatality to a propeller, this one did.
- 6 July 2012 TheChattanoogan.com (Tennessee) “Woman Seriously Injured in 2nd Norris Lake Boating Accident” reports a woman was riding near the front of a rental pontoon boat in the Lost Creek area of Norris Lake near Sharps Chapel on July 5th. About 2:55pm she fell overboard, received serious propeller cut injuries, was pulled back onto the boat, taken to shore near Lost Creek Campground, and life flighted to University of Tennessee Hospital in Knoxville.
- 4 July 2012 Accident Date – 15 October 2012 WDAY (Fargo, North Dakota) “Fargo Hockey Player Plans to Return to Ice After Boating Accident” reports an update on Nick Schmit, a 2012 graduate of Fargo North that was an outstanding hockey player. Nick was in a boating accident near Perham Minnesota on July 4 2012. Struck by the propeller, he suffered broken bones, a fractured hip, and many deep cuts. Nick is now coming off 14 weeks of physical therapy and is now beginning to skate again. He hopes to be able to play hockey again.
- 4 July 2012 Accident Date – 26 December 2013 Perham Focus (North Dakota) “Boat Driver Gets Jail Time for West McDonald Tubing Accident” reports a 21 year old male was pulling Nicholas Schmit on a tube on West McDonald Lake on July 4, 2012. The operator was circling the tuber when the boat motor swung out and struck the tuber. He received “multiple rib fractures, a partial scapular fracture and tissue damage to muscles on his back.”
- 4th of July Accident Date – 11 March 2013 WWAY (South East North Carolina) “Committee Discusses Masonboro Safety” reports on safety efforts in advance of July 4th and recalls a July 4th 2011 accident in which “a young guy who sliced his thigh on a propeller of a boat … almost bled out…”
- 4 July 2012 Fox5 News (Las Vegas Nevada) “Victim’s Leg Cut by Boat Propeller at Lake Mead” reports a Lake Mead visitor (no age, sex, time, or exact location information provided by the National Park Service) had a leg “caught by a boat propeller blade” on Wednesday July 4th in the Sandy Cove area. They attempted to life flight the victim, but high winds force a ground transport to University Medical Center.
4th of July
- 4 July 2012 IndyStar (Indianapolis Indiana) “Boat Propeller Injures Teen at Cataract Lake” reports a 12 year old boy was driving a ski boat on Cataract Lake on Tuesday July 3rd about 4:30pm, pulling towing two teenagers. An adult was in the boat. Deonta Stark, 15, was one of the two 15 year olds on an inner tube. The boat turned toward them, both boys jumped off the tube to avoid being hit, Deonta Stark was cut in the abdomen by the propeller and life flighted to Wishard Memorial Hospital in Indianapolis. The group had been attending a Christian Summer Camp, Five Stones Camp. Other reports indicate he was taken to IU Health Methodist Hospital with severe stomach injuries.
- 3 July 2012 Accident Date – 7 October Times Herald (Port Huron, Michigan) “Swimming: Determination Helps Ally Laduke Return From Serious Injury” reports an update on Ally Laduke’s recovery from a July 3, 2012 boat propeller accident. In a lake near Midland Michigan she had been swimming toward the propeller when she felt some jabs on her leg. She blacked out while trying to board the boat. Ally later found he leg was broken and her wounds would probably require over 70 stitches. After the accident she found motivation from her desire to return and contribute to her High School swim team. While Ally’s recovery has been challenging, she has become the team’s top distance swimmer.
- 2 July 2012 Independent Mail (Anderson South Carolina) “Pontoon Boat Strikes Swimmer in Keowee” reports a man was swimming alone without a life jacket on a central channel of Lake Keowee about 6:30pm Sunday July 1st. The lake was busy and crowded. He was struck by a boat propeller. Officers were onsite almost immediately. Boaters plucked him from the water and took him to Fall Creek Landing. He was taken from there by ambulance to Oconee Medical Center. “He had deep cuts.”
- D 1 July 2012 Albuquerque Journal (New Mexico) “3-Year Old Dies at Elephant Butte Lake” reports a pontoon boat was coming in to a dock on Elephant Butte Lake about 10:30 am Sunday July 1st. Only feet from shore a 3 year old girl fell from the bow and was fatally injured by the propeller. While the area is known for rental pontoon boats, this was a privately owned boat.
- 1 July 2012 Sidney Morning Herald (Australia) “Boy Hit by Boat in Sydney Seriously Hurt” reports a 14 year old boy was on Gunnamatta Bay in an outrigger surf-ski about 3:30 pm on 1 July, fell overboard, was struck by the propeller of a passing boat, and suffered “serious injuries to his arm”.
- July 2012 Accident Date – 10 February 2013 Havasu News (Arizona) “Life Saving Measures” reports a 7 year old boy jumped from the stern of a powerboat when his dad was backing it into a Havasu Springs Marina slip on the south side of Lake Havasu in July 2012. The boy’s leg was severely cut by the propeller. A boat captain with Vessel Assist quickly came to provide assistance. The boy was then life flighted to a Phoenix trauma hospital and survived.
- 27 June 2012 KFSN-TV ABC30 (Fresno California) “Man Struck by Boat Propeller in Millerton Accident” reports details are sketchy but it looks like three people had been with a boat on Millerton Lake. People nearby rescued three people including a man in the water that “had been struck by the boat’s propeller” with major injuries to his leg. The prop strike had disabled the boat. The victim was life flighted to a Fresno Hospital. A Sheriff’s Department helicopter was used to locate the missing boat. It was found about 6 miles from the main boat ramp in a remote area. Eight people were eventually brought to shore for questioning. ABC30’s accompanying video says the boat was a party barge and six people were still onboard when it was located. It sounds like they may be unable or unwilling to supply much information. Later ABC30 reports indicate drugs and alcohol were on the boat and his leg was amputated mid thigh. The vessel was a rented pontoon boat.
- 25 June 2012 The Advocate (Baton Rouge Louisiana) “One Boater Dies Another Missing After Two Incidents on Saturday” reports two separate incidents on Saturday June 23rd.
- D Joel Grayson A 29 year old male from Lafayette was boating on Lake Maurepas about 4:30 pm near a sandbar between the Amite and Blind Rivers. Another boat passed close by and cut the rope to Mr. Grayson’s anchor. The water was very shallow, about 3 to 5 feet deep, so Mr. Grayson jumped in to retrieve his anchor. While climbing back into his boat, he was struck by its spinning propeller. Authorities are not yet sure if it was spinning when he jumped in, or if something accidentally turned it on. Joel Grayson was his by the propeller and it “cut him up pretty good.” He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. Other reports indicate he was taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Gonzales, that Mr. Grayson was an off duty Police Corporal (Cpl.) in the Lafayette Police Department, and that four other people were onboard at the time of the accident.
- (Not a prop) About 5:30 pm (an hour later than the first incident) officials were called to respond to an unmanned 18 foot lake skiff boat running in circles (the circle of death) near the mouth of the Tickfaw River. Officials were able to stop the boat and discovered it belonged to Daniel Mitchell, 51, of Springfield. Officials, a dive team, and the Coast Guard searched for him. His body was found about 8 pm Monday by a passing boater per WWLTV. His body was found about two miles south of the circling boat. He was not wearing a life jacket when his body was found. This has not been reported as a propeller accident, but it may turn out to be. One report says he told someone, presumably by cell phone, that he was just minutes from the Prop Stop, a well known pit stop for the younger crowd, but he never showed up. They also indicate winds are often a problem for small boats in the area he was operating in.
USCG later reported the official report from the state did not mention a prop strike. Our thoughts (PGIC’s thoughts) are now that he probably just drowned after being ejected at speed.
********** Labor Day Weekend Ends – Monday 3 September 2012 ************
********** Labor Day Weekend Begins – Saturday 1 September 2012 ************
*********Last Day of Memorial Day Weekend Monday 28 May 2012 *******
We noticed media reports of several tubing accidents around the country over the holiday weekend consistent with propeller injuries but the word propeller was not used in those reports.
*********** Memorial Day Weekend begins Friday May 25, 2012 *********