Three Killed in Tragic Boat Crash in North Carolina Involving Two Drunk Boat Operators

PIREWAY, NC- Cbs17.com writes that the body of one of the victims of a boat crash was found late in the morning this week. The incident that led to the death of the 21-year-old man and two other individuals occurred on the Waccamaw River.*

According to reports, the two other victims included a 21-year-old woman and a 37-year-old woman—the two vessels collided in the early evening close to Pireway. The third victim was missing for several days following the tragic crash. 

The three killed were all on the same boat. The operator of the boat the victims were on, and the operator of the other boat involved in the collision, both are now facing charges for boating under the influence. Neither of the two operators were injured, nor was the passenger on the other boat. Police are still investigating the collision. 

Boating under the influence is incredibly dangerous. While the number of such incidents is on the decline in the United States, alcohol remains a factor in many boating accidents every year. According to reports, in cases where the cause of a crash was known, nearly one out of every five incidents was the result of a drunk boat operator. 

Aside from staying sober while controlling a boat, it is important for people to always use life jackets when they are on the water. Just over three-quarters of all boating fatalities are the result of drownings, and 84 percent of the victims did not have life jackets on at the time of their deaths. Even solid swimmers need to use a life jacket as they could suffer injuries that leave then unconscious or too injured to swim. 

Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Sources:

https://www.cbs17.com/news/north-carolina-news/3-dead-in-nc-boat-crash-2-men-operated-boats-while-impaired-officials-say/

https://www.nasbla.org/operationdrywater/resources/research-statistics

https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/tools-resources/seasonal-safety/summer/boating