Tragic Boat Accident near Tiverton-3 drown
 

I read today a 17' boat capsized and threw six people into the cold water in the early moring hours Saturday. Some made it to shore and are hospitalized, 3 did not make it.

I hope they were not friends of anyone here.
Prayers to their famiilies

1 survived, a 14 year old, his Dad is critical, 3 dead and I think 1 still missing.......can you say "too many people in the boat"? Probably had no lifejackets either! What a shame.:(

How could anyone take a group out in a 17ft boat with 30kt winds, middle of the night, and an overloaded.
I feel terrible for that kid.

I was told this was a Boston Whaler that was tipped over.. is that true? I thought it was virtually unsinkable? if so, why didn't they attempt to hang on to the boat?

The report said something about a fiberglass repair done to the 17 ft. boat that failed :eek: Was the cause of it sinking!!!
But still, 6 people on a 17 ft. boat in 30 kt winds:wall:

That is amazing what that kid did, they say he swam for 1-1/2 to 2 hours to shore. Sad story :(

The real details are out there, what I've seen from the news:

Boat was a small 17 footer of 60s vintage with an outboard (not a BW)

Weather got critical while they were out there running from Tiverton expecting to go to Fall River

6 people were in the boat - likely overloaded

This was the first time they used this boat

All but one (missing) WERE wearing lifejackets as this was not the first fatal boating accident in their family

What ???
Then how and why would they pack a small boat like that without fearing the worst.

These tragics events happen every year and we all scratch our heads and wonder 'what the hell were they thinking...."

SOme people learn the hard way that history repeats itself if lessons aren't learnt from the past.

:( Unfortunately,...people continue to under-estimate the power of the ocean + weather. My guess is that due to the short ride from Swansea to Fall River...this family felt that they could quickly make the ride from point A to point B before things got too nasty. It's normally a short and quick ride...but if anyone's familiar with the route they would have had to take, you will agree that as soon as they left the grove in Swansea...and turned North onto the Taunton River....they should have turned back. One person remains missing, the boy is ok...but the father is still in tough shape.

As the season kicks off, let's try to remember to be as safe as possible to be able to return to the beautiful ocean again..and again.

What a tragedy :(

I was fishing the Tiverton Basin that night around midnight. I left the RR bridge because the wind was absolutly howling, I couldn't even cast. I couldn't imagine a small boat out there.
DZ

What a sad and tragic event :(

They interviewed the 14 year old who survived on the news. Obvious that what happened has not hit him. He described his mother crying for help and dying rather casually. Very sad story.

:(

They did have life jackets, and in fact the kid did put one on before swimming to shore (according to reports).

As far as the Whaler being unsinkable .... I had a friend who was injured at the Vineyard when one flipped. He said the doctor at the hospital told him that they have more injuries on Whalers than any other boats. He was presuming it was because people hear "unsinkable" and think that they are in a tank and nothing can harm them. Unfortunately, too many people find out the hard way that this isn't true.

Just because it will not sink does not mean it will not flip, and throw you out.

I would agree in a drive way even a 17' boat looks big, but in the big ocean even a tanker is small in the wrong weather.

I was out Saturday heading for Jefferys Ledge, and was thinking hard of turning back. You have to know you limits.

The urge to fish is strong, but the will to live has to be stronger.

You can always fish another day, that is if you were smart enough to turn back when ?#it hits the fan.


Always sorry to hear of anyone's loss.