Media coverage of 2011 recreational boat propeller accidents.

If you are aware of coverage of a 2011 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.

• Unknown Date – Egypt accident – 4 Feb 2012 Manchester Evening News (UK paper) “Scuba-Diving Dad From Whitfield Left Fighting for Life After Being Hit by Boat Propeller in Egypt” reports Maurice Abrahams, 48 of Whitfield, was on an annual diving trip with some friends from the Red Fins diving group. They chartered a boat to explore a coral reef, as Maurice was surfacing, a second boat had arrived and was starting its propeller. He was sucked backwards into the propeller, the blades hit his air tank just inches from his neck, then cut his bottom and legs. His mask was ripped off and he was briefly trapped under the propeller. His friends were able to get him to shore. He has taken to an area hospital. Doctors had to call on other guests at the resort the divers were staying (El Gouna on Egypt’s Red Sea coast) for blood to save him. Maurice was then later transferred to North Manchester General for five more weeks of treatment. Now he faces physical therapy and constant pain.
• 29 December 2011 Accident Date – 23 May 2013 Maui Weekly “Captain Offers Clarification on Jet Ski Safety” reports William Kalanikai “Uncle Billy” Gonzales was setting up racing lanes at Lahaina for a high school crew paddling practice off Hanakao’o Beach Park. He was critically wounded by a recreational boat propeller.
• 2 December 2011 Phuket News (Thailand) “Russian Man Cut by Boat Propeller” reports Nikolai Nefedov, 51 year old tourist from Russia, was snorkeling near Kata Beach about noon today December 2. An eyewitness said a speedboat was leaving the bay. His “right thigh and left calf were seriously injured.” Mr. Nefedov was taken to Phuket International Hospital, then transferred to Vachira.
• 23 November 2011 The Ledger (Lakeland Florida) Man Ejected From Boat and Killed Near Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC) reports two commercial fishermen were fishing for mullet from a homemade 18 foot commercical registered fishing vessel near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and U.S.41/ S. Tamiami Trail in Manatee County. The boat hit a sandbar, Anthony George Loveridge, 42 year old male from Zephyrills, fell over the front of the boat, and was struck by the propeller. This boat had the propeller at the front to avoid getting it stuck in nets. The accident happened about 10:30 am Wednesday 23 November near Bishop Harbor Boat Ramp. A photo shows they had a small aluminum hull with a clamp on outboard with tiller steering. This is one of countless more propeller accidents that will not be listed in BARD because it happened in a commercial vessel, but is no different that similar recreational boat propeller accidents.
• 16 November 2011 Demerara Waves (Guyana) “Three Injured in Brarama River Boating Accident” reports Levi Boyan (42), Lyn Boyan (19), and Sheldon Williams (19) were traveling from lanna to Bamboo around 10:30 am Wednesday 16 November. The “boat capsized and they were chopped by the propeller”. Levi had his spine almost severed, Lyn had cuts to her head, Sheldon had a broken shoulder per early reports.
• 11 November 2011 Courier Mail (Australia) “Man Hurt by Propeller in Fall From Boat Near Tangalooma Jetty Off Moreton Island” reports a 25 year old male was boating with some friends about 3:35pm today when he fell over the stern, “suffered large multiple lacerations to his back and upper body” from the propeller, and was life flighted to Tangalooma Island.
• 22 October 2011 TampaBay.com (Florida) Girl Injured by Boat Propeller in Lake at Avila reports an unidentified 11 year old girl was on Lake Taray in the Avila gated community Saturday evening 22 October. She was struck by a boat propeller and taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in critical condition. MyFox Tampa Bay reports she had been tubing and was struck by the propeller while trying to reboard the boat from the water.
• 19 October 2011 Great Lakes Advocate (Australia) “Woman Run Over by Boat” reports a 53 year old woman from Tuncurry was in an aluminum runabout operated by her husband on Wallis Lake about 7 am Sunday morning 16 October. While navigating he slipped, fell, and the runabout wildly accelerated. She fell overboard, and was ran over. The woman was struck by the propeller in the face, head, and neck. She was life flighted to John Hunter Hospital.
• D 9 October 2011 Miami Herald (Florida) “Man Killed on Columbus Day Weekend Boating Accident Identified” reports Juan Carlos Morales, age 45 of Miami-Dade, fell from a 65 foot yacht named “Gotcha” into its propellers and was killed on Saturday 8 October. Daily Mail (UK) reported he had been on the diving platform at the stern, lost his footing, fell in and was “ripped to shreds”.
• D 19 September 2011 Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) “Teenager Dies in Harbor” reports police and emergency crews found an injured 18 year old male in the water in Sydney Harbor at Athol Bay about 5:30 pm today (19 September). Details are still sketchy, but he seems to have had chest and leg injuries, had been trapped underwater, “possible under a propeller of the boat”. He was found way off shore east of Mosman. They took him to Royal North Shore Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. A 20 Sept article in The Australian confirmed it was a propeller accident. The teenager from Korea was on a 40 foot cruiser with friends. Three went for a swim, the driver of the “hired vessel” was backing up to get closer to them when the accident happened. A 21 Sept. SMH article hints he was entrapped in the propeller, “it is believed he became trapped in the propeller and his friends on-board had to frantically try to keep his head above water.” The victim was later identified as Dong Suk Kim, a South Korean national.
• 12 September 2011 Journal Standard (Illinois) “Police Beat: Local Man Injured in Boating Accident” reports from Rock Grove Illinois of a man pulling a tube on a pond outside Rock Grove on 10 September in the dark about 4:20 am. Kyle A. Kraft, 27 of Freeport, was on the tube, fell, the boat operator circled to find him in the dark, and Kraft was struck by the propeller in the back. Kyle Kraft was taken to OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford.

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Monday 4 September 2011 Labor Day Weekend Ends

• D 4 September 2011 Sentinel-Record (Hot Springs Arkansas) “Local Man Dies in Boating Accident” reports Thomas Brooks, 20 of Hot Springs, an employee of the Salty Dog Marina and some other employees took a party barge out on Lake Hamilton without permission on Saturday August 3. Early Saturday morning, Thomas Brooks fell from the bow, and his right leg was “mauled by the propeller of the boat’s 150 HP motor.” An accompanying photo shows what looks like a pontoon boat powered by a white outboard from the rear. Other reports indicate he stood up at the front of the boat in his seat and fell over backwards into the water. The boat operator said he did not have time to pull the boat to neutral before Brooks was struck by the propeller. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
• D 4 September 2011 Helena Independent Record (Helena Montana) “Driver Dies in Hauser Boat Crash” reports three men were boating on Hauser Lake late Friday night 2 September. About 11pm they missed a curve and their 1998 stern drive boat crashed into a rock wall on the east shore of the lake. All three men were ejected, the boat operator, Kevin M. Kelly of Helena Montana, was killed. He died of “traumatic injures he likely received from the propeller” per the coroner. When help arrived the boat was in the Circle of Death at about 3/4 throttle spinning wildly. Kevin Kelly was said to have a wife and a young daughter.
• 4 September 2011 Hawaii News Now “Swimmer Injured by Boat Propeller” reports from Lahaini Hawaii of a 42 year old California male participating in a swimming race from Lanai to Maui on Saturday 3 September. About 2:30 pm he was struck by the propeller of an escort boat about half a mile off Lahaina. Officials said he was taken to the hospital with “life threatening injuries”. Its hard to believe some races still run escort boats without propeller guards, especially after Luke Evslin’s high profile propeller accident in last year’s Molokai Hoe canoe race. Other reports indicate he was taken to Maui Memorial Hospital. The man injured was later identified as John Caughlin.
  The Maui News reported it was a private 28 foot escort boat assisting one of the teams that was involved in the accident and the victim suffered “injuries to his right forearm and left hand, which was partially severed.” The pontoon boat was powered by a 90 horsepower outboard.
• 4 September 2011 News Leader (Springfield Missouri) “Girl Hospitalized After Being Struck by Boat Prop” reports Bobbie J. Brooker, a ten year old girl from Lee’s Summit Missouri was riding on a pontoon boat in the Lindlay arm of Pomme de Terre Lake about 6:30pm Saturday 3 September. The boat slowed, she fell over the bow and was struck by the propeller. The young girl suffered “injuries to her torso from the boat’s propeller” and was taken to Citizen’s Memorial Hospital in Bolivar Missouri. Later reports (9 Sept 2011 Kansas City Star) indicate Bobbie Jo Brooker was entrapped in the propeller, her father held her head above water while others tried to cut her entangled life jacket from the propeller, and she was later life flighted from the hospital in Bolivar to Cox South Medical Center in Springfield Missouri. She was cut by the prop from her “collarbone to her stomach, cutting through several ribs, into her lungs and nicking her liver.
• D 3 September 2011 News-Herald HavasuNews.com (Lake Havasu California) “Two Dead One Injured on Lake Havasu Saturday” reports a boat operator was maneuvering near the Mini Sandbar about 4pm Saturday 3 September. The propeller of his boat stuck a woman in her upper torso and killed her. The accident occurred on the upper Colorado River on California. They were just across from Crystal Beach. Havasu News later identified the deceased victim as Martha Acevedo, age 30 of Sylmar California. She had been wading behind the boat. James Diaz, age 27 of Newhall California was a passenger in the boat. He jumped in to help the lady and was struck himself, and life flighted to University Medical Center in Las Vegas.

Friday 2 September 2011 Labor Day Weekend Starts

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• 29 August 2011 Sacramento Bee (California) “Man Killed in Tahoe Boat Propeller Accident Identified by Coroner” reports Stephen Joseph Keller, 46 of San Jose, fell from a rental boat docking at Chambers Landing on the west shore about 4 pm Saturday 27 August. He was struck by the propeller and died at the scene. He had been onboard with four other men from the San Francisco Bay area.
  We discuss the Keller accident more in depth in our post on how a newspaper misreported propeller accident statistics while reporting this accident.
• 29 August 2011 Lake News Online (Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri) “Top Speeds Under Dispute in This Year’s Shootout” reports on activities at the annual Lake of the Ozarks Shootout high speed boat race. Among the incidents firefighters responded to was a spectator getting his foot caught in a boat propeller.
• D 24 August 2011 Round Town News (UK news speaking about an accident in Spain) “Woman Dies After Being Hit by Boat Propeller” reports a 37 year old woman was on a boat with her husband and family off the coast of Santa Pola Spain yesterday (23 August) about 2:30pm. They were in the area of the light house off Santa Pola Cape when she fell from the stern when the boat was making a turn. The woman was struck by the propeller and suffered “a wide and deep incision from her shoulder to her hip”. Red Cross and local police tried to stabilize her for over an hour, she was then transferred to Alicante General Hospital “with serious chest and abdominal trauma”, but the surgeons were unable to save her. Other reports indicate the woman was from Elche and that she is thought to have lost her balance just as the boat turned out to sea.
• D 21 August 2011 Salt Lake Tribune (Utah) “Woman Dies After Being Hit by Boat in Pineview Reservoir” reports a 49 year old woman (later identified as Esther Fujimoto of Odgen Utah) was swimming in Pineview Reservoir about 8pm Sunday evening 21 August. She was swimming by herself in Spring Creek Cove in Weber County. She was struck by a boat, a man living nearby heard her scream, rowed out to attempt to rescue her, but was unable to pull the injured woman into his boat. He called 911 and held her head above water till they arrived. Rescue crews were able to pull her from the water and began CPR on her while headed to shore. The injured woman died before they made shore. Authorities say she was injured by the boat and are not yet sure if she was struck by the propeller or not. The boat that struck her did not stop, and the operator may not know they struck a person. Other news reports indicate the woman was from Odgen Utah, and that a life flight helicopter was summoned and arrived to transport her, but was not utilized as she did not make it to shore. Officials say they have a pretty good description of the boat that hit her and will work on finding it on Monday 22 August.
  On 22 August, Salt Lake Tribune reported the woman had been swimming with her sister about 300 yards from shore, but they were some distance apart when she was struck. Esther Fujimoto “suffered trauma to her torso and lower abdomen, apparently from being struck by a boat’s propeller.”
• 20 August 2011 Accident Date – 7 Sept 2011 ContactMusic.com “Travis Tritt – Tritt’s Son Almost Lost Foot in Boating Accident” reports Tristan Tritt, 12 year old son of country music star Travis Tritt, was on Lake Blue Ridge in Georgia enjoying a day on the lake with his family on August 20, 2011. Tristan Tritt went in the water for a swim, a family member was operating the boat, and his foot was “sucked into the propeller blades slashing his flesh to the bone.” The boy was rushed to a hospital and is recovering.
• D 18 August 2011 Radio Iowa “Child Dies in Waterloo Accident” reports a 9 year old boy was skiing with two others behind a boat on Eagle Lake approximately 12:30pm Wednesday August 17. All three fell, they were waiting for the boat to pick them up, but the boat operator thought they had swam to shore. The boat operator did not see them, one boy was stuck by the propeller, taken to Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo, and died. The nine year old boy, a member of the Waterhawks Ski Team was later identified as Bodee Peterson of Hudson Iowa. Eastern Iowa News Now reports the bow of the boat kept the operator from seeing the boys and his injuries were to his back and shoulder areas per an Evansdale PD officer. A KCRG report indicates the boys were riding kneeboards and an associated video shows a Mercury outboard but it is not definitely identified as the motor on the boat in the accident.
• 17 August 2011 Jacksonville.com (Florida) The Florida Times Union “Boy Struck by Boat Propeller in Jacksonville Beach Hospitalized” reports a call for assistance went out about 6pm this evening August 17th for a 6 year old boy. He had fallen under a boat, was struck by its propeller, and suffered lacerations to his back. He was taken to the boat ramp near the 2500 block of North Second Avenue and life flighted to a hospital. JAX4 News reports the young boy fell from a moving boat, was hit by the prop and taken to Baptist Hospital.
• 15 August 2011 WHDH7 News (Boston Massachusetts) “Girl Thrown From Boat Saved by Dad’s Quick Thinking” reports a young girl (later identified as 12 year old Emily Williams) and her father (later identified as 57 year old Bruce Williams of Weymouth) were headed back to shore Saturday night August 13th near the South Shore Yacht Club. Emily started the engine of their dinghy while her father was on the larger boat. The dinghy’s engine was still in gear, lurched forward and she was ejected over the transom. Her father jumped in to protect her from the 10 foot inflatable dinghy when it went into the Circle of Death. As the boat repeatedly passed over them, her father was struck by the propeller in the head, left forearm, and hand. Authorities say Emily was wearing a lanyard to the kill switch, but it broke off from her life jacket instead of pulling from the engine. WCBVTV video coverage shows the small outboard was a Tohatsu. The harbor master said, “… she did the right thing (speaking of using the lanyard). A very safety conscious young lady.” The propeller came close enough to Emily Williams that it actually tore part of her swimsuit off. Portions of her swimsuit are visible on the prop in some news coverage. An August 15 Patriot Ledger report quotes her father as saying, “The boat started over-revving, and I told her to rev it down, and she reached over and knocked it into gear.”
• 12 August 2011 Accident Date – posted 9 September 2011 we are seeing several reports of a Lake Cumberland rental houseboat propeller accident approximately August 12. Sounds like the houseboat got sideways to shore, they were trying to push it off, somebody started the motor, and one male was cut pretty bad in the leg and chest. He was taken to University of Kentucky Medical Center. Just as the accident was happening another rental came in and rammed shore nearby pitching some people off the top. Several witness say a man on a SeaRay prevented more prop strikes by getting the houseboat operator to stop the engine. We have not yet seen it in official news coverage, but several locals have discussed the accident in the mylakecumberland.com forum.
  We later confirmed the 12 August houseboat propeller accident. Jordan McKelvey, 25, of Ferndale Michigan was the victim. McKelvey and others were swimming near the stern when the operator reversed the engine. He was sucked in and severely injured. McKelvey was taken to Conley Bottom Marina, then to a landing site and life flighted to University of Kentucky Medical Center. He was there for 18 days, then moved to a rehab facility in Michigan per a 27 January 2012 article in SurfKY.
• 10 August 2011 KeysNet.com (Florida) “Dive Boat Runs Over, Injures Father and Son” reports a 38 year old father and his 11 year old son were drift diving north of Conch Reef on Tuesday 9 August. Somehow both of them were struck by the propeller of their Florida Keys Dive Center dive boat. The son was life flighted to Miami Children’s Hospital. The father was taken to Mariners Hospital in Tavernier, then life flighted to Baptist Hospital in Miami. The father was later identified in an AP news report as Calvin Adkins, 39 years of age, of Harrington Delaware.
• 7 August 2011 Fox12 (Portland Oregon) “Teenage Girl Suffers Cut to Leg From Boat Propeller” reports a teenage girl was boating on the Columbia River with her family, she was struck in the shin by the boat’s propeller, and taken to a boat ramp on Government island where she was assisted by marine deputies.
• D AIRBOAT 4 August 2011 New Zealand Herald “Hovercraft Victim an Amazing Man” reports Alastair Senior, 40 year old male from West Auckland, was taking a homebuilt hovercraft (similar to an airboat used in swamps in the U.S.) for its first test run on Muriwai Beach on Sunday 31 August. The propeller came loose, the blade struck him in the back of the head, and he died instantly.
• D 3 August 2011 COMMERCIAL VESSEL – Mail Online (United Kingdom) “Teenage Son of Boating Boss From Fifth Generation Seafaring Family is Killed After Falling From Ferry and Under Propeller” reports Ben Woollacott, 19 year old boatman, was working on the Ernest Bevin Ferry on a run for the Woolwich Ferry that carries people and cars across the Thames River in London today August 3rd. About 6am this morning he fell overboard and was “caught in the propellers.” Early reports indicate he may have fallen while untying mooring ropes. Ben Woollacott was then taken to the south terminal, was met by doctors and paramedics, and declared dead at the scene.
• 1 August 2011 TCPalm (Florida) “Propeller Cuts Woman’s Thigh in Boating Accident on Indian River Lagoon in Sebastian” reports Danielle Wilson, 22 year old woman, was on a 19 foot boat near Captain Hiram’s on Indian River Boulevard about 3pm Saturday 30 July. The small boat was pulling some water skiers. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation reports she fell in and was cut by its propeller.
• 1 August 2011 Midland Daily News (Michigan) “Man’s Arm Amputated After Boating Accident in Sanford Lake Park” reports a man in his thirties was about 500 yards from shore near the boat launch at Sanford Lake Park about 12:30 today (1 August) wearing a life jacket. Early news reports and officials on the scene say he either lost his hand or his whole arm to a boat propeller. Divers are currently searching for his missing limb so it might possibly be reattached. WNEM TV5 later reported the man’s arm was severed about 3/4 of the way up. He had been tubing with his son, both of them fell from the tube, the boat came around, the father tried to protect his son, but was struck by the propeller in the waves and heavy waters. The injured man was later idenitified by the Midland Daily News as Nicholas Bowers, age 33, of Owasso Michigan. His missing arm was eventually found by some people fishing on Sunday afternoon August 7th.
• D? 1 August 2011 New York Post (reporting on a Connecticut accident) “Teen Dies in Boat Horror” reports Nicholette Murray, 18 year old female from Westchester New York, was wakeboarding on Lake Lillinonah in Newton Connecticut on Saturday 30 July. Her tow rope got caught in the propeller and she was pulled into the boat. She was pulled from the water and given CPR. Other reports indicate she was pronounced dead about an hour later at Danbury Hospital. We are seeing many reports on this accident but none have yet called it a prop strike. 1 August 2011 Newton Patch reports the medical examiner says she drowned
• 31 July Accident Date in Greece – 12 August 2011 BBC Mobile News Kent (United Kingdom) “Boat Accident Victim Adam Rose Flown Home From Greece” reports a 21 year old male, Adam Rose, from Wilmington was holidaying on the Greek island of Zante. He fell overboard, hit the propeller, and “suffered deep cuts to this hands, feet, and groin”. Mr. Rose was life flighted / flown to Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford on Wednesday 10 August. A KentOnline post of same date says the accident happened on Sunday 31 July and notes a Facebook Group – “Get Adam Home XX” is encouraging his recovery.
• D COMMERCIAL VESSEL 31 July 2011 Hawaii News Now “Longtime Lanai Fisherman Killed in Collision With Tour Boat” reports Alan Amoncio, 51 year old male that served as custodian at a local school, was free diving and spearfishing with his dive flags up about 10:35am on Sunday 31 July on the west coast of Lanai near Kaumalapau Harbor. He was struck and killed by the propeller of a 30 foot Zodiac RIB, the Wiki Wahine (“Fast Woman”), a whale tour boat belonging to Ultimate Whale Watch Maui capable of 50 mph running out of Lahaina Harbor.
• 25 July 2011 Accident Date – Canada – 27 April 2015 The Barrier Examiner (Ontario Canada) “Ali Massie Reaches New Heights Despite Loss” reports Ali Massie, then 16, jumped from a 230 Super Air Nautique in preparation to be towed. Miscommunication led to him being pulled into the propeller, shredding his left foot. In the present as an amputee, he is snowboarding competitively, winning a bronze medal at the 2015 Aspen X-Games.
• 24 July 2011 Deseret News (Utah) “Man Hospitalized After Being Cut by Propeller at Echo Reservoir” reports a 32 year old male had been wake boarding on Echo Reservoir earlier, he joined his friends in the boat, then about 9pm Sunday 24 July he and a friend fell overboard. He fell in near the running propeller and “sustained cuts to his head and shoulder” and wqs life flighted to University of Utah Hospital. The injured man was later identified as Phil Redd of Salt Lake City and listed in extremely critical condition.
• 25 July 2011 Chicago Tribune (reporting an Iowa accident) “Deputies Say Boat Propeller Hit Girl on Iowa Beach” reports a 14 year old girl was on an inflatable tube near the beach at Finley’s Landing Ramp on the Mississippi River near Sherrill Iowa about 6:20pm Saturday July 22. She was struck by the propeller of the boat as it backed away from the beach, suffered a deep laceration to her leg, and was taken to Mercy Hospital in Dubuque.
• D 23 July 2011 Omaha.com (Nebraska) “Drowning Victim Hit Propeller” reports from Scottsbluff that Chris Miller, 37 year old male from Mitchell, fell from a boat on the east side of Lake Minatare on Sunday morning 17 July. His body was spotted Thursday 21 July by a boater. An autopsy performed Friday showed he hit his head on the propeller when he fell in, was rendered unconscious, and drowned. Other reports indicate he stood up before he fell overboard.
• 21 July 2011 accident date – 24 May 2012 Orlando Sentinel. Varsity Sports “Winter Springs Wrestler Returns to Mat After Serious Boating Boating Accident” reports Andrew Hudson was tubing on the St. Johns River by Fruitland on July 21, 2011 with his brother. He ended up under the boat driven by his father and was struck by the propeller. He received 5 gashes on his back, a fractured spine, shattered left elbow, and a broken rib. He recently returned to wrestling.
• 21 July 2011 Click on Detroit (Michigan) “15-Year-Old Injured in Boating Accident” reports a 15 year old boy was water boarding on Lakeville Lake in Addison Township on Thursday 20 July. He fell from his towed board, the boat driver misjudged his location, he was struck by the propeller, and taken to a local hospital.
• 18 July 2011 The Herald-Palladium (Southwest Michigan) “Boat Hits, Severely Injures Kayaker” reports a 33 year old male kayaker from New York City was on Little Pap Paw Lake on Sunday afternoon July 17th about 50 yards off shore. About noon, a 17 year old male boater from Indiana looked to the stern to check on a battery problem and ran into the kayak. A Lt. in the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department Marine Division said, “Kurtz said it is reasonable to conclude that either the propeller or the lower blade of the motor hit the kayaker’s leg.” The kayaker was taken to Lakeland Community Hospital Watervliet, then on to Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo Michigan with a severely injured right leg.
• 18 July 2011 MailOnline (Daily Mail) (UK publication reporting an IBIZA – Mediterranean island off Spain accident) “British Woman Sucked Into Propellers After Jumping Off Pleasure Boat in Ibiza” reports a 26 year old female from Scotland working a summer job on Ibiza has a day off yesterday 17 July. She jumped off a boat near the popular resort area of San Antonio and became “trapped in its propellers.” She was taken to Can Misses Hospital on Ibiza after “being sucked into the blades of the pleasure boat.” She is thought to have lost some muscles near her right knee. This sounds like another propeller entrapment accident. A later edition of the Daily Mail identified the young woman as Scot Suzanne Cassidy. She and some friends had been riding an inflatable towed doughnut. Back on the boat, she jumped into the water to swim to a large boat with more friends on it. The accident happened at a cove named Cala Conta at San Antonio on Ibiza. She said, “I felt my leg being sucked into the propellers by the force of the engine.” The tibia of her right leg was also broken.
• 15 July Accident Date – 27 July 2011 News Times Danbury Connecticut (reporting on a Mississippi accident) “Ex-Troy Softball Player Loses Leg in Boating Accident” reports Courtney Davis, 25 year old female from Pascagoula Mississippi, was boating off the Mississippi coast with a family friend on July 15 in a 23 foot Sea Fox. The boat hit a wake, both of them were ejected. The propeller struck both of Courtney’s legs. Her right leg was later amputated and her left leg was broken in several places. She managed to stay above water from one to two hours before she was found unconscious floating face up by a passing boater. The family friend drowned.
• D 11 July 14 Green Bay Press Gazette (Wisconsin) “Diane Mott of Green Bay Dies in Anderson Lake Boating Accident in Oconto County” reports Diane D. Mott, 54 year old female from Green Bay, was on Anderson Lake about 10pm Wednesday evening July 13. “She fell overboard, then was hit and entangled in a boat propeller” per Oconto County sheriff’s deputies. The accident happened near in town of Breed.
• 11 July 2011 Toledo Blade (Toledo Michigan) “Man Injured by Boat Propeller” reports a man was swimming in Lake Erie off Toledo Beach in northeast Monroe County on Sunday 10 July. About 5pm he was struck by the propeller of a 31 foot powerboat. He was later identified as 22 year old Michael Jenne from Michigan who was taken to Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center.
  A WTOL report indicates the 21 year old male was with a group of friends on the powerboat. They had stopped to swim. One person stayed in the boat (or climbed back in according to other reports), a wave knocked them into the controls and the boat reversed. One young man was stuck on both legs and may lose one of them.
• 6 July 2011 The Daytona Beach News-Journal (Florida) “John’s Appliance Owner Injured in Bahamas” reports John Hinton, 58 year old male well known from his humorous TV commercials promoting his appliance stores, was vacationing with his family and some friends in the Bahamas on Saturday 2 July. He went spearfishing about 3pm from his 30 foot Contender. The boat operator failed to put the boat in neutral after John dove in, swells pulled him under the boat, “and he smacked into the propeller.” John had seen sharks in the area the day before, so he tried to get back onboard as fast as possible before they caught the scent of his blood. One of those onboard was an Daytona Beach emergency technician. John’s friends and family motored the boat the 30 minutes over open water to John’s vacation home where several people from the island waited to help, including two retired doctors. John was then driven to an airport at Fort Pierce and taken to the hospital. John Hinton suffered “a 5 inch gash in his neck, barely missing an artery,” cuts to his head, and his right arm was sliced through at the elbow to his bone marrow. His wife and children were “horrified.” Interestingly, since John Hinton is such a well known local business personality, the news article was authored by the Dayton Beach News-Journal Business Writer.
• D 5 July 2011 KTTC (Rochester Minnesota) “Body Found in Becker County Lake” reports Barry Edward Ellegaard , 47 year old male from Detroit, was boating on Long Lake on the evening of Sunday July 3rd. Authorities think he had left a pontoon boat to swim, and was hit by its propeller. On Tuesday July 5th, sonar equipment was used to find his body in about 34 feet of water.
• D 5 July 2011 The Argus (UK) “Man Killed After Chichester Harbour Fall” reports a 21 year old male from Sussex was in a dinghy with two friends on Chichester Harbour about 6:15pm Friday 1 July. He suffered “very severe head injuries” after being struck by the propeller. His friends got him back in the boat, took him to Cobnor Activity Center (near Chichester), paramedics worked on him, and he was life flighted to King’s Hospital in London. The young man died from his injuries on Sunday 3 July AND was later identified as Joel Eager of Kings Walk, Shoreham.
• D 3 July 2011 Accident Date – (UK) – 5 April 2012 Portsmouth The News “Mum’s Cash Pledge to Portsmouth RNLI After Boat Tragedy” reports Patrick Beach, 33 of Surrey, fell overboard from a cruiser near Portsmouth Harbor’s entrance on July 3, 2011. The propeller struck his head and fatally injured him. RNLI arrived on the scene along with other rescue services. His mother is very grateful for their efforts because they were able to keep him alive long enough for her to see him one last time. (Note- we read this report very closely to make sure it was not additional coverage of the similar nearby fatal accident listed above. We do not think it is, put are not sure.)
• D 2 July 2011 WIBW (Topeka Kansas) “Teen From Arizona Killed in Boating Accident Friday” reports Nicole Whitney Smith, a 13 year old girl from Mesa Arizona, was wake boarding on Lake Cheney on Friday afternoon July 1st. She fell from the wake board, the boat came around to pick her up, she was hit by the boat and died on the scene from her injuries. Preliminary investigations show she was struck by the boat propeller. An undersheriff stated, “the operator of the boat was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and there are no indications of carelessness or recklessness on his part.” Other reports indicate another teen died at the lake on Saturday, and 60 to 70,000 people are expected to be at the lake the weekend.
  In later reports we noticed the young girl was LDS, as are we.
• 1 July 2011 NWCN (Idaho) “Teen Jumps Off Boat During Skit, Cuts Head on Prop” reports a camp instructor on Hayden Lake on Friday morning 1 July jumped off the bow of a moving pontoon boat as part of a camp skit. His head hit the outboard and its propeller. He was taken to an area hospital with scalp lacerations.
  Later reports identify the young man at Camp MiVoden as Joshua Gaskill of Yakima Washington. He was taken to Kootenai Medical Center.

Friday July 1st – 4th of July Weekend Begins

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• 1 July 2011 HamptonsRoad.com (Virgina) “Girl Rescued From Boat’s Propeller in Va. Beach” reports from Virginia Beach that a 12 year old girl was entrapped between two propellers about 2pm Thursday afternoon 30 June. About 200-300 yards off the beach at Ocean Shore and West Great Neck Road rescuers were trying to free “the girl’s impailed leg from between two boat propellers.” Those early on the scene tried to hold her head up above water using life jackets, while later others were able to provide her a snorkel and eventually a diving mask and a scuba tank (per other news reports). The boat frequently rocked in waves endangering divers and evoking screams from the girl. Over 90 minutes later, the propellers were freed from the boat and the girl was life flighted to Sentara Norfolk Hospital. Images of the boat appear to show the boat was a twin stern drive installation. Emergency crews reported it was the most difficult rescue they had ever completed. A police dive instructor reported he had never seen a similar rescue and plans to include instruction of freeing people from propellers in future training exercises. We are providing more extensive coverage of this accident on our  Virginia Beach Propeller Accident Impales Girl’s Leg post. She was later identified as Alexis Angelopolous.
• 28 June 2011 TampaBay.Com (Florida) “Tampa Police Rescue Two Men From Capsized Boat Off Howard Frankland Bridge” reports Ezequiel Batista, 36 year old male from Tampa, and another man were in a boat near the Howard Frankland Bridge about 4 pm Tuesday 28 June. Officers spotted them swimming from the capsized boat that later sank. “Batista was injured when the boat ran over him with its propeller running.” He was taken to Tampa General Hospital.

  Other reports indicate a wave swamped them and ejected them from the boat. Batista was injured in the leg and shoulder.

• 26 June 2011 Redding Searchlight (Redding California) “Man in Fair Condition After Being Cut by Boat Propeller on Lake Shasta” reports Daniel Artiga, 31 year old male from San Pablo, was tubing on the Sacramento Arm of Lake Shasta on Saturday 25 June. He fell from a tube on a short ski rope, the boat operator backed up, and “the boat’s propeller cut Artiga’s right thigh.” He was taken to Sugarloaf Marina, then life flighted to Mercy Medical Center in Redding where many other propeller accident victims have been taken in the past.
• 26 June 2011 NT News (Australia) “Luck on Boatie’s Side in Smash” reports a 78 year old male visiting Darwin from New South Wales was setting crab pots with his son from a stationary boat about 25 kilometers south of Darwin in Leaders Creek about 10am yesterday 25 June. The creek is in an area called Top End. Another boat rounded the corner in the creek at high speed, hit them, and rode up and over their boat. The elderly gentleman was struck by the propeller of the speeding boat. He was said to be lucky to still be alive.
• 25 June 2011 Press Democrat (Santa Rosa California) “Boy, 7, Severely Injured by Propeller on Lake Sonoma” reports a seven year old boy from San Francisco was tubing with his family Saturday 25 June on Lake Sonoma. It is thought the tow rope got tangled in the prop and pulled him into the propeller. He suffered “severe cuts to both legs and was bleeding badly.” The young boy was life flighted to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
  A 26 June 2011 Press Democrat report says earlier speculation that the tow rope became tangled in the prop and pulled him in may be in error. Investigators now think he may have been climbing in or out of the boat and came in contact with the propeller. They report he had deep cuts to both legs, his groin, and his stomach.
• 25 June 2011 WCNC (North Carolina) “Woman Injured in Boating Accident at Lake Norman Party” reports from Mooresville NC – a 26 year old young woman (later identified as Deondra Scott) was on a boat with about 15 people on Lake Norman on Saturday 25 June. She was at the “Lake Bash” near Mooresville. An officer estimated as many as 600 boats could have been at the Lake Bash at the time of the accident. As she jumped off to swim, the boat operator backed up the boat to tie it up. She was hit by its propeller. She was life flighted to Carolinas Medical Center. Wildlife Officers noted the 30 year old male boat operator was sober and not under the influence of drugs. A report in the Charlotte Observer indicates the accident happened at a cover near Gainsville Drive in Mooresville. This accident went on to become a legal case we covered at Deondra Scott v. Allen, Orzolek, and Chaparral Boats.
• 25 June 2011 St. Petersburg Times (Florida) “Woman Struck by Boat Propeller Near Sand Key” reports from Clearwater Florida – a 22 year old young woman was in a boat near Sand Key Park about 6:40 pm Saturday 25 June. She jumped from the back of a boat “and was struck by its spinning propeller.” She was taken to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg with cuts from the propeller.
• D 21 June 2011 The China Post “Diver Killed by Raft Propeller” reports Wang Cheng-hsiang, 54 year old male, was diving on Sunday 19 June in Pingtung County with some friends. It is thought that strong currents pulled him from the other divers to the surface where he was hit by the propeller of a passing raft about 150 meters for shore.
• 20 June 2011 CTV / Canadian Press “Toronto Man Charged After Boat Hits Woman” reports from Peterborough Ontario Canada that a 25 year old female was swimming with a friend in Buckhorn Lake north of Peterborough on Saturday 18 June. She was cut by a boat propeller, taken to Peterborough Regional Health Center, treated, and released. The operator of the boat that struck her has been charged with careless operation.
  A report in the Peterborough Examiner indicates the accident happened about 2:34 pm, the woman dove down when she saw the oncoming boat, and she received a 12 inch cut on her thigh from the propeller.
• 19 June 2011 First Coast News (Florida) “Ponte Vedra Teen Injured After Boating Accident” reports a 13 year old boy was operating a small boat in the canals near Granada Lane, Ponte Vedra, Florida on Saturday 18 June. The young boy lost control of the boat and was ejected or jumped in. Then the “propeller struck him on the side of his face.” He was life flighted to Shands Hospital in Jacksonville.
• 14 June 2011 Seguin Gazette (Seguin Texas) “Woman Hospitalized After Boating Accident” reports Song Choe, a 28 year old female from New Braufels, was boating with friends on Lake McQueeeny about 8pm Saturday 11 June. Early reports indicate she was sitting on the back deck, fell in, and “a propeller blade struck her leg”. She had extensive cuts to one leg and was life flighted to University Hospital in San Antonio.
• 13 June 2011 Gainsville Sun (Florida) “Two People Injured in Three Boating Accidents” reports on Saturday 11 June a woman was “cut by the propeller on a boat”, and life flighted to a regional hospital with critial injuries.
• 12 June 2011 News and Crier (United Kingdom) “Man’s Foot Cut Off in Horrific Boating Accident” reports a 65 year old male was boating with some friends on the river at Chapman Way in Eynesbury, St. Neots on Saturday June 11th. He fell overboard, his foot was caught in the propeller, and amputated by the prop. Emergency crews helped get him from the boat to shore and into an ambulance. He was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital. His wife also received a laceration to her forehead (the article does not mention the cause of her laceration).
• 12 June 2011 Stabroek News (Guyana) “Propeller Slashes Woman in Bartica Boat Collision” reports a woman was a passenger in a boat near the Bartica Ferry Stelling yesterday 11 June. A passenger boat collided with the boat she was in after 8pm. She received “gaping wounds to the belly” and was being taken to the city by another boat. Three others were also injured. Earlier reports indicate the accident may have happened closer to 4:30pm.
• 11 June 2011 NewsOK (Oklahoma) “Enid Man Injured at Kaw Lake by Boat Propeller” reports Andrew Perrroni, 23 year old male, was in a 17 foot bass boat on Kaw Lake about 12:45pm Saturday afternoon June 11th. He fell overboard, was cut by its propeller, picked up by a passing boater, and life flighted to a Wichita Kansas hospital. He suffered “injuries to his face, arms, leg, and trunk.”
  Other reports indicate it was a 1999 Lowe 17 foot bass boat and he was taken to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.
  PGIC comment – our community is supplied with water from Kaw Lake.
• D 11 June 2011 WLOX (MIssisspi) “Man Killed After Kiln Boating Accident” reports from Kiln Mississippi in Hancock County. Curtis Landy, 34 year old male, jumped of the stern of a pontoon boat at McLeod Park on Jourdan River near Kiln on Saturday 11 June. He jumped off and the boat operator was backing up the boat. He was struck by the propeller, taken to Hancock County Medical Center in Bay St. Louis, and died.
• 8 June 2011 Coloradoan.com (Colorado) “Boy Rushed to Loveland Hospital After Leg Cut by Boat Propeller” reports a 9 year old boy was taken by ambulance from the La Porte area north of Fort Collins this morning June 8th after a life flight service had been called. Details are sketchy, but the boy “suffered several deep cuts to his leg from a boat propeller.”
• 7 June 2011 The Leaf Cronicle (Tennessee) “Clarksville Boater Thrown, Hit by Propeller” reports David Eddings, a 52 year old man from Clarksville, was boating down the Cumberland River after it joins the Red River on Tuesday 7 June. His flat bottomed boat hit something, he was ejected, and he was “caught in the propeller” when he tried to get back in the boat. “The propeller cut into Eddings’ chest and chin area.”
  While the article does not mention it, the boat may have been in the Circle of Death when he tried to reboard.
• 4 June 2011 Kentucky.com “Louisville Woman Thrown From Boat, Cut by Propeller on Herrington Lake” reports Margaret Morgan, age 59, was riding in a rental 14 foot johnboat on Herrington Lake near Old Bridge Golf Course (east part of Boyle County) on Thursday 2 June. The boat hit a tree stump, she and the boat operator were ejected, and the boat began the Circle of Death. She was apparently struck by the propeller and “suffered cuts to her right thigh, left upper arm, and the left side of her face.” The boat operator managed to get her to a boat dock and she was life flighted to from Boyle County Firestation #7 near the golf course to Kentucky Chandler Hospital.
• 2 June 2011 WYFF (Greenwood South Carolina) “Injured Boater Air Lifted to Hospital” reports two men were making turns in a boat in the middle of Lake Greenwood this afternoon (2 June), were ejected from the boat, and it began the Circle of Death. One man was hit on his right side by the propeller and life flighted to Greenville Memorial Hospital.
  Other reports indicate the victim was a 33 year old male from Laurens in a 1999 McKee boat.
• 2 June 2011 Accident Date Australia – 27 June 2011 InMyCommunity (Australia) “Man Who Reversed Boat Over Girlfriend Fined $5,000” reports a 25 year old male from Secret Harbor was towing his girlfriend on a seabiscuit on June 2nd with about seven people on the boat. About 6:25pm she fell for the tube towed by his 190HP 6.5 meter Tahoe boat. He went past her, then reversed, “she was struck by the propeller and went under the boat.” His girlfriend suffered about “25cm missing from her right leg and damage to nerves on her left leg.” Last week Mandurah Magistrates Court found him guilty of culpability in driving boat that caused grievous bodily harm.

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Memorial Day Weekend Ends Monday May 30

• 30 May 2011 Accident Date – 31 May 2011 WKRG News (Mobile – Pensacola Alabama) “Man Injured in Boating Accident on Soliders Creek” reports from Baldwin County Alabama on a 30 May 2001 boating accident on Soldiers Creek near Lillian. Anthony Baroco was boating on Soldier Creek, ran aground, he we ejected, and “seriously hurt by the propeller blade”. His dog was also hurt.
• 30 May 2011 Beaumont Enterprise (Beaumont Texas) “Man Cut by Propeller After Falling Out of Boat” reports a man in a boat on Taylors Bayou fell from his boat when it hit the wake of another boat. The propeller struck his right leg and right thigh. Rescue personell picked him up at Labelle Road about 7:48 pm Monday 30 May and took him to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital.
• 30 May 2011 Tallahassee.com (Florida) “White Trash Bas Celebrates Summer’s Arrival” reports the annual White Trash Bash boating pary on Sunday 29 May resulted in a propeller injury, “a woman was transported in for treatment of a cut on her wrist she said came from a boat propeller.”
• 29 May 2011 Accident Date – 1 June 2011 Slidell Sentry News (Louisiana) “Off-Duty Paramedic Saves Life of Boater” reports two adults and one child were boating on West Peral River about half a mile north of I-59 on Sunday 29 May about 11:30 am. The boat operator was going north and tried to circle around a sandbar, lost control, everybody was ejected, and the boat began the Circle of Death. Aaron Morrell, a bystander watching the circling boat, tried to board it while it was circling, lost his grip, and was “pulled under the boat.” “The boat propeller struck him causing trauma to his face.” A paramedic on the lake with family and friends rescued the child that had been ejected and was finally able to find Morrell under the surface and pulled him to the river bank. Rescue personnell gave him advanced life support and life flighted him to University Hospital in New Orleans.
• 28 May 2011 Accident Date – 3 June 2011 Smith Mountain Lake (Virginia) “Three Boating Accidents at Smith Mountain Lake Over Memorial Day Weekend” reports a 12 year old girl was trading places with another rider on a pulled tube about 5 pm May 28 near WC1. “Her left leg was cut by the boat propeller”. She was taken to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

Memorial Day Weekend Begins Friday May 27

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• D 26 May 2011 WSPA7 (South Carolina) “A Boater Dies After Accident on Lake Hartwell” reports from Anderson South Carolina that Larry DeWayne Brown Jr., age 25 from Williamston, and another man were fishing from a bass boat on Lake Hartwell, just off Anderson Beach on Thursday morning 26 May. They were in process of moving the boat, both men were ejected, and the boat began the Circle of Death. Larry DeWayne Brown Jr. was struck by the propeller on his arms and back. The other man regained consciousness after being ejected and was able to get Mr. Brown to shore while he was still alive. Mr. Brown is said to have bled to death.
  Other reports including photos and videos show the bass boat was powered by a Mercury Marine outboard with some sort of Whale Tail on it.
• 22 May 2011 WMUR (New Hampshire) “Boat’s Propeller Injures Man on Lake Winnipesaukee” reports Benjamin Pascucci, 49 year old male, was boating on Lake Winnipesaukee at Laconia Wisconsin about 5:30 am Saturday morning 21 May. His boat was found performing the Circle of Death in Paugus Bay, officers were able to stop it, he had been able to swim to shore. Mr. Pascucci received “numerous cuts on his arm, shoulder and back from the vessel’s propeller.” He was taken to Lakes Region General Hospital.
• 9 May 2011 Yachte (Australia) “Marine Rescue Cottage Point to the Rescue” reports that on Saturday May 7th, a 27 year old male named Matt dove from the top deck of a houseboat on Broken Bay. He hit his head on the outboard engine cover and on a fiberglass propeller guard. The man suffered deep head and facial wounds, a broken jaw, broken ribs, a punctured lung, a concussion, and lost some teeth. The news report does not speculate what the damages might have been if a propeller guard had not been present.
• D 8 May 2001 Australia’s Surfing Life (Australia) “Surfer Dies at the Alley” reports
  a male in his 40’s was paddling back out at Currumbin Alley when he was struck by an aluminum runabout, struck and killed by its propeller.
• 7 May 2011 Citizen-Times (North Carolina) “Hendersonville Man Injured in Boating Accident” reports Ray Wallen, 34 year old male from Hendersonvile, was boating by himself in an 18 footer on Lake Norman (Catawba County) early May 6th (Friday), his boat struck a wave and he was ejected. His small boat went into the Circle of Death, and he was struck by the propeller. Both his legs were severely injured and paramedics were not sure he would survice the blood loss, but he made it. He was life flighted to Charlotte North Carolina’s Carolina’s Medical Center.
• D 4 May 2011 Phucket Wan Tourism News (Thailand) “Phuket Police Probe Japan Dive Tourist’s Death” reports a 22 year old female tourist from Japan was diving off Racha Thailand, a Phuket dive destination, about noon today 4 May on the western dive site off Racha. Approximately ten divers were on the rental Kon-Tiki Phuket boat. Details are sketchy, but officials think the divers were surfacing as the boat reversed off a coral reef. The young woman was “struck in the head by a boat propeller” and killed.
• 24 April 2011 CFN News 13 (Brevard County Florida) “Teen Hit by Propeller in Boating Accident” reports a 13 year old girl fell from a boat just north of Max Brewer Bridge near Titusville Florida on Saturday 23 April. She was struck by the propeller and “suffered deep cuts on her left thigh.” The young girl was taken to Arnold Palmer Hospital.
• 23 April 2011 NBNTV (Australia) “Man in Critical Condition After Boating Accident” reports a 33 year old male was in a boat on the Hawkesbury River near Spencer on April 22. The boat overturned and he “suffered lacerations to his arms, back, and ankles”. “He was cut by the boat’s motor” (report does not mention the word propeller). The man was taken to Westmead Hospital in Sydney. A big thanks to one of our viewers down there for pointing out this accident to us.
• D 21 April 2011 IrishTimes (Accident in Amsterdam, Netherlands) “Man’s Body Found in Amsterdam Canal” reports Paul Nolan Miralles, age 36 and originally from Ireland, had been missing since early morning hours of April 13th. His jacket and a bag with his t-shirt in it were found shredded in the prop of a canal tourist boat. A shoulder has since been found and being examined to see if it is his. It is thought he may have fallen from a bicycle into the canal after a night out. PGIC Comment – he may have drowned before he was struck.
• 19 April 2011 KFDM-TV News (Beaumont Texas) “Bass Fisherman Hurt in Tournament” reports that during a bass fishing tournament, the McDonalds Big Bass Splash held at Lake Same Rayburn, about 5:30 AM Saturday April 16th, two boats were on a collision course, one man took evasive action, his 40’ish year old son,fell overboard and a boat’s propeller struck his ankle (they are not sure which boat). He was taken by ambulance to Rayburn Medical Clinic, then life flighted to Hermann Hospital in Houston. He has already had several surgeries in efforts to save his foot.
• 19 April 2011 Norwich Evening News 24 (United Kingdom) “Woman Rescued After Falling From Boat Near Acle” reports a 54 year old female from Suffolk was thought to be mooring her boat on the River Bure about 10:25am April 19th, slipped, “cutting her foot on the boat’s propeller.” Yarmouth Coastguard, an ambulance service, and Norfolk Police responded. The lady was taken to James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston with serious gashes to her foot.
• 11 April 2011 Accident Date – 26 August 2011 TCPalm (Palm Beach Florida) “Verio Beach Man’s Death in Runaway Boat Incident Ruled Accidental” reports Christopher Hill, 39 year old male, and Amy Reede, 39 year old female, were in an 18 foot Boston Whaler on the St. Lucie River on 11 April 2011. About 3:30pm they were going north on the St. Lucie River to the Evans Crary Bridge. As they entered the slow zone, Hill put his hand on the throttle, and somehow they were both ejected. The unmanned boat boat went into the Circle of Death and was wildly spinning. Hill tried to push the boat away but the propeller amputated his left arm. Reed was also struck by the boat, however she still tried to drag Hill to a pylon, but was unable too. She had to release him. His body was found two days later. An autopsy report found he drowned as suffered multiple fractures.
• D 16 April 2011 Borneo Post (Borneo) “Boat Operator Struck by Boat Propeller, Dies” reports Asnadi Akmarin, a 19 year old foreigner, got in a fight with another boat operator at the Safma fish market over a misunderstanding. He fell overboard and was ran over by the other boat and struck by its propeller. Some nearby boaters brought him to Jesselton Point where he died of leg and body injuries. The article includes photos of the deceased’s body and of the suspect.
• 5 April 2011 Sans Souci Dolphins Spearfishing Club – POSSIBLE PROP STRIKE – AUSTRALIA “Boating Accident Concerning Spearo Steve Wayne 3rd April” reports Steve Wayne, a popular spearfisher, was competing in the Alliman Shield on April 3rd and diving at South Head. He was hit by a large RIB running commercial tours that may have had 3 outboards on it. He suffered a shattered hip and has severe lacerations around that buttock/hip/leg area. There were said to be at least 4 dive flags flying in the area.
• 5 April 2011 Dominican Post (New Zealand) “Boy Sucked into Boat Propeller” reports a family on holiday at Marlborough Sounds was fishing off Havelock on Friday 1 April. They went out for one last trip and their 12 year old boy from Upper Hutt rode a towed inflatable ring as they looked for one last fishing spot. When the dad noticed his son was not wearing a life jacket, he circled back
  to hand him one. During that process, “the boy was sucked under the boat and into the propeller.” He suffered “deep cuts to his back and head.” The boy was treated by an amulance crew at the marina, then life flighted to Nelson Hospital.
• DD? 20 March 2011 NOLA (New Orleans Louisiana) “Man Killed in Lake Borgne Accident, Brother Still Missing” reports Alvin Anderson, 63, and his brother, Mark Anderson, 53, were fishing on Alvin’s 18 foot boat near the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet in the eastern part of Saint Bernard Parish near Martello Castle about 3:40 pm Saturday 19 March. Their nephews (along in a separate boat) heard a loud boom and the boat the brothers were on went into the Circle of Death. Both brothers were ejected. Alvin was taken to Gulf Outlet Marina in Chalmette, then on to Iterim LSU Public Hospital where he was declared dead from injuries “possibly from the propeller.” The next day (Sunday 20th), search crews were still searching for his brother.
• D 9 March 2011 COMMERCIAL VESSEL The National (Dubai United Arab Emirates) “Dubai Boat Fire Kills One” reports an Iranian shipping vessel and a Somalian shipping vessel were moored next to each other on Deira Creek yesterday (8 March) across from the Radisson Blu Hotel. A fire broke out on the Iranian boat (6 men on board) and spread to the Somalian boat (crew of 10). A man jumped from the Iranian boat to escape the fire and was struck by the propeller of his boat “and was cut in half.” Four hours later, rescue crews were
  still searching for the other half of his body.
• 26 February 2011 Miami Herald (Florida) “Swimmer’s Leg Severed by Boat Propeller in SW Fla” reports a 69 year old male was swimming off Vanderbilt Beach on Saturday 26 February. A boat operated by a fisherman drove through the area exceeding the speed limit, the swimmer was struck and his “leg was severed just above the ankle.”
  A WZVN report of the same date identifies the injured man as Rosario (Sal) Puccciarelli, age 69. He swims there daily. He was life flighted to Lee Memorial Hospital. Emergency personnel were unable to find his foot in time for it to be reattached.
• D 22 February 2011 Honolulu Star Advertiser (Hawaii) “Boat Strikes and Injures Swimmer” reports a man in his 40’s was swimming with a friend 21 February about 11 am in the area between Mahukona and Kapaa Park. He was struck by a boat and knocked unconscious. People on that boat pulled him onboard, took him to Mahukona Pier, and he was life flighted to North Hawaii Hospital. He was barely breathing and had “lacerations from the boat’s propeller to his head,
  shoulders, and arms.” 

  Star Advertiser later reported on the same date, the victim, James C. WIlliams, age 53 of Hawi, died about 3pm February 21st from his injuries.

• 5 February 2011 CBS12 (West Palm Beach Florida) “14 Year Old Girl Struck in Hit and Run Boat Accident” reports a 14 year old girl was in the water just offshore south of the Juno Pier about 2:30 pm Saturday 4 February. She was struck by a 22 foot white Cobia that fled the scene and was later impounded. The young girl was life flighted to St. Mary’s Medical Center and is in critical condition.
  Other reports confirm this was a propeller strike and a wave may have pushed her into the propeller while the boat was picking up some people Lifeguards had previously repeatedly warned the boater to get out of the swimming area.
  The Palm Beach Post has since identified the young girl as Gabby DeSouza of Palm Beach Gardens High School, and reports she is scheduled to have her leg amputated 8 February at St. Mary’s.
• D 2 February 2011 7 News Belize (Belize) “US Cruise Tourist Killed by Tour Boat’s Propeller” reports Dianna Lynn Meschling, 60 year old female was snorkeling about 2pm 2 February off Goff’s Caye from a 65 foot catamaran snorkeling tour. Her husband was also on the 65 foot cat. They were in Belize on a Holland American Line cruise ship, the Ryndam Cruise. Mrs. Meschling was in the water with three other tourists, went under the 65 foot catamaran, and became caught in the propeller. She received a large wound to her right leg, two small cuts on her right face, and slammed her head against the boat. She died later the same day from her injuries at Belize Medical Associates.
  Later reports indicate she was exiting the boat with a group of tourists when she became entangled in one of the props and the captain was found negligent.
• 22 January 2011 Sun Sentinel (Florida) “Diver Hit by Powerboat off Boca Raton” reports James C. Shelly, 46 year old male from Myrtle Beach South Carolina, was diving from a commercial vessel off the Boca Inlet (about a mile east of Boca Raton in about 80 feet of water) Saturday morning 22 January. About 10:08 am he surfaced and was hit by a 23 foot boat’s propeller that slashed his shoulder and upper arm. Both the diver and the commercial vessel were displaying dive flags at the time of the accident. The boater stopped to assist and is cooperating with investigators. Shelly was life flighted to Delray Trauma Center.
• 21 January 2011 The Noosa Journal (Queensland Australia) “Wave Flips Coast Guard Boat” reports an experienced Coast Guard crew on a vessel named Bartender Patrol was headed out over Noosa Bar on patrol Saturday January 15th. Bartender Patrol was flipped by a freak wave and a crew member (who is also a State Emergency Service – SES member) caught his ankle in the spinning propeller. Even with a surf lifesaving boat passing by and a very quick rescue, the crew member lost a lot of blood before being taken to Nambour Hospital, and later transferred to Brisbane Hospital.
  An Australian Coast Guard website provides the following data on the vessel named Bartender Patrol: 6.85 meter Eagle Ray powered by a 200hp Yamaha four-stroke. Bartender Patrol has a modified cathedral hull and can stay out for up to 8 hours at 25 knots.
• 13 January 2011 The Northern Advocate (New Zealand) “Camper May Lose Toes After Propeller’s Crunch” reports a 44 year old male hit his foot on the propeller of a boat as he launched it 12 January at Matauri Bay. Onlookers found him screaming on the beach. “His foot was munched…”. He was treated by an ambulance crew, life flighted to Whangarei Hospital, and may need sent elsewhere for reconstructive surgery. Reports indicate a wave hit the boat as the man was launching it, causing the propeller to land on his foot.
• 7 January 2011 Perth Now (Australia) “Paramedics on Hand After Boat Propeller Accident” reports a male in his thirties was hit by a speedboat at Logue Brook Dam by Cookernup about 4:45 pm today. His leg became entrapped in the propeller and many professionals rushed to the scene. He was life flighted to Royal Perth Hospital. The article notes this is the third serious boat accident this week (they were all prop accidents).
• 4 January 2011 ABC News South West – Western Australia “Second Serious Boating Accident in as Many Days” reports a 29 year old male fell from a dinghy south of Busselton the night of January 3rd in Western Australia. He fell from the boat into its propeller and suffered “head, neck and arm injuries.” The man was taken to Busselton Hospital. This is the second propeller accident in two days in this region.
  WA Today later reported the man fell from a 12 foot Savage boat that had been towing an inflatable. He fell about 7:30pm and the boat went into the Circle of Death, circled out of control and he was struck by the outboard propeller.
• 3 January 2011 ABC News Australia “Woman Critical After Boat Accident” reports a 21 year old female was hit by the propeller of a boat after it was reversed on the Mandurah estuary south of Perth about 6:30pm AWST January 2nd. She received leg injuries and is undergoing surgery in critical condition.
  SkyNews January 3rd reports she was being towed on an inflatable in the Peel Inlet near the entrance to Murray River, fell, the boat came back to pick her up, and she was struck. She received “severe lacerations to her upper thighs” and they suspect she fractured her leg and pelvis. The young woman was life flighted to Royal Perth Hospital.
• 2 January 2011 Miami Herald (Florida) “Fla. Woman Chasing Hat Struck by Boat Propeller” reports Molly Rienert, 27 of St. Petersburg, was a passenger on a boat in the intercoastal waterway off Indian Shores on Saturday afternoon January 1st. The boat was idling, her hat blew off, she jumped in to retrieve it, the boat operator was unaware she had left the vessel, she was hit by the boat, pulled under it, and then resurfaces. The victim “suffered deep cuts to her left leg from the boat’s propeller.”
  Other reports indicate the boat may have had some motor problems, drifted onto some rocks while they were working on the motor, and the hat incident occurred while those on board were trying to push the boat off the rocks.