Boat accident on the Connecticut River
 

Courant.com
1Dead, 3 Hurt In Boating Accident
By DANIEL E. GOREN

The Hartford Courant

6:38 PM EDT, July 8, 2007

old saybrook

A unmanned runaway motorboat in the Connecticut River crashed into a sailboat at 3:50 p.m. today, killing one of four people who were thrown from the sailboat into the water, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Officials from the state Department of Environmental Protection said all four were soon recovered from the river -- one dead and three others with serious injuries who were taken to area hospitals.

A witness at the scene said the runaway vessel, with its outboard motor at full throttle, rampaged through the water in circles as officials and bystanders tried to slow it down. With the vessel at nearly top speed, it crashed into the sailboat, sending all of the smaller boat's passengers into the water, the witness said.

A third boat then made an attempt to hook the renegade vessel with a rope, but was capsized as the out-of-control craft yanked the third boat over, a witness said. Three men from the third boat were also thrown into the water, the witness said.

The incident happened south of the Amtrak bridge between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, officials said.

Coast Guard officials and investigators from the state Department of Environmental Protection, which investigates boating accidents in the state, were at the scene late this afternoon. The Old Saybrook police had also responded, officials said.

Kill Switch Safety Lanyards!!!!!!!!!:(

Not good at all. Gotta have and wear kill switches, without them the boat becomes an unguided missle. I read in another article that someone at the scene was taken away in handcuffs, but they weren't sure if it was related or not. Very Very Sad.

I guess everyone has to have their own accident before it kicks in.

And to think I was out there the day before going through that area 4-5 times with my 10 yr old daughter, Ya never know whats going to happen. Another vote for lanyards

This seems to be happening all too often! It's easy enough to use the lanyard. I had mine on this sat!!!! And all the time!!

Yeah, You can say that again, and again.....

This is terrible. If this really is a result of not wearing a lanyard (trying not to assume), then I hope the owner of the boat is put away for years....

I started wearing mine 3 years ago and don't miss one trip without it.

I was with a friend who was having a new boat delivered to him by a sales rep. He is just getting into offshore from ski boats.

The lanyard was not even IN THE BOAT. It was in the care package bag; that was back in the truck. We were 1/2 mile from the dock before I noticed it was missing. I was NOT pleased. When I brought it up, these were the salesman's words to my buddy the new owner: "You only need to wear it when you are going high speeds."

I was PISSED. I corrected the salesman and educated my buddy right then and there. As soon as you are ready to get on plane, that lanyard gets clipped in. Even more safe;, as soon as the motors get put into gear, you put it on.

Sad, I was there and saw the boat doing circles. I slowed down and helped look for the people overboard. One of my employees is an EMT and was there when they took the people to Lifestar, and when they pulled the woman who did not make it out. She was from the sailboat and the prop got her RIP:(
When I got back to my marina, my neighbor (sailboat) looked over and said "you know you are the only smart one here" I said why he said "you have kill switches"
The SOB who caused this mess was arrested for Reckless operation and being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.