Makes me sick: Boat overturns with 9 people, 7 year old in critical condition.

TonyG13

Makes me sad and angry. Happened about a mile from my house. A small outboard packed with 9 people overturned. Six taken to hospitals, a 7 year old had CPR done and is in critical condition. Preliminary reports said no one, not even the children were wearing PFDs.

Fire Department dropped divers from a helicopter. Pretty intense rescue scene. Here is a news clip...

https://news.yahoo.com/7-old-girl-critically-injured-030744871.html

raybo3

Can't fix stupid. Such a shame that little kids get hurt because of adult negligence. 

PickleRick

What is the law on pdfs and children there?

Here, anyone under i think 16 must wear a PDF while boat is under way. It could be 18, and a PDF must be in arms reach of all adults at all times.  I do allow my kid to take his jacket off while in the cabin but it must be on the steps so he can grab it quick he needs it.  

This law also applies to anyone in a kayak or canoe.  I'm not sure about a paddle board.  


Id love to go a full week during boating season without hearing about an accident on the water.  

Dream_Inn

Yes, very upsetting!  I think boating with kids is awesome, but adults need to be responsible and make kids wear life jackets.  There were many times in the last 20 years my kids didn't want to wear them, but they have no choice.  The last 4 or 5 years we now wear ours with them.  & 9 people in a bow rider seems like at least 1 or 2 too many.  9 is about max for me on my boat, although I prefer less.

Willhound

Sad to hear. Brings back bad memories when I was a teen and a school acquaintance lost his entire family, Mom, Dad, Grandpa and 3 siblings in similar circumstances. Totally preventable.

skennelly

One of the children 7 years old sadly passed away.

How can you live yourself knowing your stupidity lead to the death of a child.

So sad.

skennelly

@Dream_Inn - My wife and I purchased inflatables shortly after purchasing our boat.  It's like a seatbelt for us...automatically put them on when heading out.

When people come to the boat before we leave the dock and make an announcement like an airline attendant about where the pfd's are and throwables...and emergency exits.

I take it very serious.

skennelly

https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-river-boat-capsized-rescue-fire-department/6330437/

TonyG13

PickleRick said:

What is the law on pdfs and children there?

Anyone under 13 years old in a vessel under 26 foot in length, it's required.

I do hope they put out more details. The boat had Indiana registration numbers, so it could not have been a local rental. I just wonder where they put in and how long they were boating before the accident. There is not a launch ramp for miles from that location.

TonyG13

Just watched @skennelly's link. Victim was local and appears that a passing  "cargo" boat - I'm guessing they meant barge - caused the capsize.

There are a lot of cameras in that area between a yacht yard, Amtrak bridge, and city park. So if they've got it on camera should be fairly easy to figure out cause and effect.

Would be interesting to see how this would play out in maritime court. Barge causes wake, wake causes capsize -- but -- if boat was not overloaded would it have capsized?

LaRea

I'd guess shared liability, but only if the wake was abnormally large for that area.  And if they rented the boat, there will be a careful review of the renter's policies, safety equipment and user training.  

skennelly

I'm skeptical about the barge story.  They don't throw a big wake.  But the little boat was overloaded by 1500 lbs they say so anything could have flipped it.

randy56

Indiana law is the child  12 or under must wear life jacket. sad, shame. 

boatman37

We have barges pass us just about every time we are on the water and they don't throw a big wake at all. A 20' coming by on plane throws a bigger wake.

I see it all the time. Kids (and adults) sitting on the bow of a cruiser with their feet hanging over while boats are coming past our marina in the no-wake zone.