Although they may not seem as dangerous as cars, boats require just as much safety and precautions. They can also be just as deadly in the right conditions. Take this case for example. Two people got injured by a boat propeller. This was after a motorboat and a sailboat got in a crash with each other.
The incident happened off the coast of Massachusetts on Friday around noon. The two boats were traveling on Hingham Bay near Grape Island. That's when they ended up crashing into each other in a scene of carnage. From the sounds of it, the motorboat ended up crashing into the sailboat. Speaking with WCVB, the US Coast Guard said the motorboat was leaving Hingham into the main channel. That's when it crashed into the sailboat.
The two occupants of the sailboat ended up with some pretty nasty injuries. That's due to the rapidly moving boat propeller. While it helps move a boat through the water, the propeller can also easily strike through flesh. Basically, you don't want to rub up against a rapidly moving fan of death. According to authorities, both the male and female passengers sustained injuries. They appeared to be from the propeller striking against them according to officials on the scene. These weren't paper cuts either. In particular, the female boater's injuries proved to be serious.
Motorboat Strikes Sailboat On The Waterway
Fortunately, the Weymouth Police Department's marine unit helped the two injured boaters. They applied tourniquets to their injuries while waiting for emergency responders to get to the scene. Both needed to go to a local hospital.
Meanwhile, police took the boaters on the motorboat in for questioning. They're investigating exactly what led to the accident in question. The footage from a WCVB showed the wreckage after the crash. Apparently the sailboat ended up almost completely under the water behind the motorboat. It will take some time to get to the bottom of things. If you're planning on hitting the lake, practice proper precautions. Always be aware of your surroundings and fellow boaters on the waterways. It pays to be vigilant.