Fatal B.C. Water Collision

[Sushihunter]

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/S...lls+injures+others+reports/3234803/story.html

Police investigating fatal B.C. water collision

By Sam Cooper, Canwest News Service July 4, 2010 6:03 PM


One person is dead and eight people were taken to hospital after a speedboat crashed into a houseboat on Shuswap Lake on Saturday night.

Photograph by: Video image courtesy CHBC Kelowna, Vancouver Sun files

VANCOUVER — A fireworks party on British Columbia’s Shuswap Lake exploded into chaos with a speedboat smashing into a houseboat and vaulting straight into its cabin, killing the larger boat’s driver and injuring many occupants.

The collision happened late Saturday night, police say, as hundreds of boats were dispersing from an annual long-weekend fireworks show in the Magna Bay area of the lake’s north shore.

RCMP Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said there were 13 people aboard the privately owned 12-metre houseboat, and the local operator, a 40-year-old man, died on the scene.

Three people were aboard the six-metre Campion speedboat, which remained embedded inside the houseboat following the crash. Police are not disclosing whether any speedboat occupants were injured in the accident about 450 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.

It’s possible that lives were saved as other boaters in the area “instinctively” rushed into the carnage to pry victims from the wreckage, give first aid, and drive patients to shore, Moskaluk said.

B.C. Ambulance officials helped nine people with injuries ranging from minor bruises to head injuries to broken bones, an ambulance spokesperson said.

Eight people went to emergency at Royal Inland Hospital in nearby Kamloops, B.C., and two remained in treatment there on Sunday, Interior Health spokeswoman Lannea Parfitt said.

Moskaluk said police are investigating whether alcohol or dangerous operation of either boat was a factor in the crash, and criminal charges are possible.

“Details are not fully known about which speeds both vehicles were operating at, but given the velocity it would have taken for the speedboat to project itself and fully embed itself into the cabin portion (of the houseboat), we can safely say there was some speed here,” Moskaluk said.

He added police are offering counselling to witnesses and victims.

“For things to go from a peaceful enjoyable evening to a collision with a high volume of casualties, it’s something that’s very traumatic for people to witness — it’s beyond description.”


Al Christopherson, of Century 21 Lakeside Realty Ltd., said the fireworks show has been growing in popularity for about four years.

For Saturday’s show there were up to 400 boats driven into Magna Bay, which is about six kilometres wide, Christopherson said.

“There was a lot of boats out in the bay, but it certainly wasn’t crowded or dangerous,” Christopherson said. “When the fireworks display was over . . . it just looked like a bunch of families going slowly home.”


Marty McMillan of Anglemont Inn said several of his guests were aboard the houseboat Saturday night but were taken back to shore before the crash.

“They were a little shaky — the fact they just got off, they feel lucky.”

“We lost one of our local guys here,” McMillan added. “We’re a real small community and we just have this local fireworks display. I don’t know if we have proper supervision of it.”

Vancouver Province

scooper@theprovince.com

© Copyright (c) The Province

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Speedboat+hits+houseboat+kills+injures+others+reports/3234803/story.html#ixzz0slggeTfx


Jim's Fishing Charters
www.JimsFishing.com
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[Peahead]

quote: "given the velocity it would have taken for the speedboat to project itself and fully embed itself into the cabin portion (of the houseboat), we can safely say there was some speed here"

Ya think ?

 

[cedarman]

Very Sad I feel for the families involved.

Any chance there was some booze consumed?

Also I would assume that this took place in the dark since they fireworks had just ended. Who drives at this speed in the dark?

again Sorry to the families....

 

[Pippen]

quote:Originally posted by cedarman

Very Sad I feel for the families involved.

Any chance there was some booze consumed?

Also I would assume that this took place in the dark since they fireworks had just ended. Who drives at this speed in the dark?

I was watching the news this morning and no word on booze. It did happen I think around 11:30 pm....so "yes"....what kind of an idiot was driving at the kind of speed at that time is beyond me. And ya....he did have "some" speed as I saw a picture of the speed boat quite literally right inside the houseboat. "Apparently" from an eyewitness who was one of the first on scene; the boats "did" have lights on. At this point....it doesn't much matter if the speedboat did but it seemed as thought the houseboat did for sure.

Condolences to the family and all those involved. Such a stupid accident.

 

[GLG]

My sincere condolences to the family and all those involved.

Collisions on the water between recreational boats are all too common here in BC.
A lack of attention can have fatal consequences.
Although this accident happened at night, care must be taken during the day also.
As one that has had the experience of having a boat bearing down on us, at speed.
I can tell you it scares the h#ll out of you.
Not something you will every forget.

Be safe and error on the side of caution.

GLG

 

[meatwagon]

interesting to see what they find. as a float cabin owner on powell lake, it's hard to find fault with going at speed in the dark, 'as long as you can see.' i can't imagine feeling the need to go at cruising speed in the dark when you know there are other boats around. just doesn't make sense. hopefully it doesn't cause stupid things like speed limits on all the lakes arond the province though. boating safety still comes down to common sense.

 

[Sushihunter]

http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/97918534.html

Houseboat, speedboat collide

Aftermath: RCMP Const. Chad Doucette wraps tape around the houseboat that was struck by a speed boat, killing one person and injuring eight others late Saturday evening at Magna Bay on Shuswap Lake.

By Martha Wickett - Salmon Arm Observer
Published: July 06, 2010 6:00 PM
Updated: July 06, 2010 11:49 PM
The chairs on the top deck of the Skookumchuk1 houseboat sat undisturbed Sunday morning, a hint of normalcy in contrast to the speedboat that appeared to have been parked purposefully inside the midsection of the craft.

The head-on crash that lodged the 18-foot Campion runabout speedboat inside the 40-foot houseboat Saturday night left one man dead, eight people injured and the small community of Anglemont gripped by tragedy.

All those involved in the crash were local residents.

Killed was 53-year-old Ken Brown, the owner and driver of the houseboat, who friends have described as a helpful and friendly person.

Although there were 13 people on the houseboat and three on the speedboat, several escaped injury. Eight people were taken to Royal Inland Hospital and all but two were released Sunday. A baby under one year was sleeping in the cabin of the houseboat and was not injured.

On Tuesday, a man and a woman remained in hospital, but were in stable condition, reported Erin Toews of Interior Health.

“We had a very chaotic scene,” said Sgt. Troy Beauregard of Chase RCMP, referring to the aftermath of the crash. “We had to account for all persons on the vessels, we had to have emergency extrications, there were mass casualties...”

The accident occurred about 11:20 p.m. Saturday, a tragic end to a happy, family event. It happened just after the annual Canada Day weekend fireworks in Magna Bay, as boats were leaving the area.

“There was no sign of crowding or racing or untoward activity at all,” said Scotch Creek realtor Al Christopherson. “I might say everybody’s opinion is, it’s a very well-run show, it’s of great benefit to the community. I was tickled pink sitting on the beach. You could hear children on the top of the boats singing campfire songs, and see others waving glow sticks.”

Although other witnesses have reported seeing one or two boats travelling too fast in the area, no clear picture has yet emerged as to what happened. All that’s known is that the speedboat plowed into the front of the houseboat, planting itself in the midsection.

“I’ve talked to people who have been around the water their entire lives, Transport Canada, the Marine Section, the Coroner’s Service, experienced police officers, and nobody’s seen anything like this,” said Beauregard.

Black Press employee Ray Jolicoeur was on the water at Magna Bay Saturday night.

Though he didn’t see the crash, he estimated there were 250 boats on the lake — some he described as “driving irresponsibly.”

It wasn’t until the next day he heard about the accident.

The wreckage was towed to a marina next door to where Jolicoeur was staying.

“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “An engineer couldn’t put that boat in there (in the houseboat) any better.”

Maureen McMillan at the Anglemont Inn said it’s the first accident she’s heard of at the fireworks.

“We’ve had boating accidents on the lake – there’s one every year, but never at the fireworks.”

She says she would like to see a better police presence in the area.

“I know it’s hard for them with staffing, but if they had a police presence, these sorts of things might not happen.”

Robert Dupel is spokesperson for BoaterExam.com. He is also a former police officer and a former forensic scenes of crime analyst.

He says he has no doubt, from viewing photos of the speedboat lodged inside the houseboat, that speed was a factor in Saturday night’s crash.

“There was high speed involved, that’s for sure. Speed is a factor, but the question is, is it mechanical defect or is it negligence?” he said.

Asked how he knows it was a high-velocity crash, he said: “If it’s a bump, a crack or the front of the boat is damaged, that’s one thing. When a complete boat goes within the structure, it has to be high-speed impact. Just to climb up onto the vessel and climb onto it.”

Beauregard said the investigation into causes of the crash could be at least a month. Alcohol has not been ruled out.

“We’re looking into it, it’s being followed up. No breathalyzer test was done, but we are following up on the alcohol issue through other means of investigation.”

He asks that anyone who may have seen anything or had any interaction with the boats involved, to call the Chase detachment at 250-679-3221.

“It’s going to be a very technical investigation. We have many, many people to speak with, many avenues of investigation to look at. Everything from recreating the collision to the point of impact to speaking to every witness possible. Once we have all the answers, we will make a determination whether charges are warranted.”

In the meantime, Al Christopherson says the focus for the community will be to support those families who are suffering.

“We are a small community. Chances are good we would know most of the people involved in the tragedy, so it’s going to hit home very hard – and it has. It’s the topic at the forefront of every conversation. I think the general attitude is now it’s the time to be there for the families in need.”

Anglemont man dies, eight injured: Police investigation into tragic crash to take weeks.



Jim's Fishing Charters
www.JimsFishing.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/Sushihunter250

 

[wolf]

Well I hope the guy gets chargeed to the fullest, it will probablly be vehicle manslaughter, and reduced down because our court system is a joke very sad indeed on both familys as there lives have changed forever now, thats why these events get cancelled from people not being smart out there.
I bet you there think for next year of not doing it again.....VERY SAD one wreaks it for all. And it seems it gets worse every year.....


Wolf

Blue Wolf Charters
www.bluewolfcharters.com

 

[Peahead]

The name of the houseboat is rather unfitting .....Darkness 'n' death is more like it.