Significant Boating Incidents from Past Week
Boating accidents and mishaps this time of year are common and this past week was no exception. Delaware Natural Resources Police officers are investigating this boat accident reported around 7:45 p.m. last Wednesday on Round Pole Branch Creek off the Broadkill River involving a pontoon boat and a duck boat. This is just southwest of the Coastal Highway bridge over the Broadkill River.
Sgt. Brooke Mitchell, DNRP spokeswoman, says the duck boat ran into the side of the pontoon boat. The operator and sole occupant of the duck boat was ejected upon impact but refused treatment at the scene. He was later taken to the hospital, she said. The pontoon boat had a family on board and one occupant was taken to the hospital from the scene. All injuries appeared to be non-life-threatening.
Sgt. Mitchell said the crash remains under investigation. No mention yet of any charges.
Around 12:45 p.m. last Tuesday, a teen was injured when two Jet-Skis collided near Harpoon Hanna’s in the Fenwick area. The teen had several teeth knocked out and bruised his head, but injuries were not life-threatening.
A third incident took place around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday near Holts Landing. A 77-year-old man standing on a pontoon boat fell backward into the bay. When they pulled him back up, he was in cardiac arrest. Medics briefly regained a pulse while he was being taken to the hospital but no update has been released concerning his condition.
