Mark Polaschek, 49, was on vacation with his wife and 6-y/o son when he left on his boat alone around 2 p.m. Fri. (03-22). His wife reported him missing about 6 hrs later, at around 8 p.m. According to the MCSO, Polaschek's wife said he wasn't an experienced boater but insisted on going out on their sailboat. She said she didn't like to go with him on the water because she was afraid of his lack of boating skills.
The USCG and Florida FWC began searching for Polaschek and discovered his boat on the Gulf side of Key Largo near the Everglades Sat. morning (03-23). Polaschek hasn't been found and there was no evidence on the boat to indicate what may have happened to him and no obvious signs of foul play. His disappearance is still being investigated by the FWC and sheriff's office. Read full story here.
03-24-13 MIAMI, FL Carnival ship rescues two ill sailors A Carnival ship rescued 2 sailors who became ill in the ocean about 24 mi. SE of Miami. The incident occurred Sun. night (03-24) at 8:30 p.m. when the USCG contacted the Carnival Breeze to report 2 adults on a sailboat needed urgent medical care. The Breeze crew brought the sailors aboard. When heavy swells prevented transferring the sailors to a CG ship, a CG helicopter landed on the Breeze and took one of the ill sailors to a hosp. The other sailor remained aboard until the Breeze made its first port of call in Key West on Mon. (03-25). Read full story here.
03-24-13 ST. TAMMANY PARISH, LA St. Tammany deputies rescue five boaters The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office Marine Division rescued 5 people in 3 simultaneous rescue operations. Around 6:00 p.m. boaters on Lake Pontchartrain near the mouth of the Tchefuncte River called 911 when their boat motor stalled, leaving them stranded in rough seas kicked up by the windy conditions. A specialized boat designed to operate in shallow water was launched to bring them back to the boat launch in Madisonville.
Deputies were on their way to that incident when another boater distress call was passed along by Causeway Police. In that case, a sailboat with a father and his 11-y/o son on board was helpless against the high winds and being pushed toward the Causeway. When deputies got to them, they found that the wind had capsized the boat, throwing the father and son into the water. Rescuers were able to transport them to shore where EMTs transported the child to the hosp. to be treated for symptoms of hypothermia.
In the 3rd incident, a fisherman reported he was lost in the swamp in his pirogue, dehydrated and feeling weak. A Sheriff's office helicopter was able to locate the fisherman and deputies brought him to safety. Read full story here.
03-24-13 OCCOQUAN, VA Fire Engulfs Occoquan Boat Behind Madigan's A fire that engulfed a 36-ft. Chris Craft behind Madigan's Grill in Occoquan Sun (03-24) was most likely caused by an electrical malfunction, according to the Occoquan-Woodbridge-Lorton VFD. OWL VFD initially responded to the report of a boat fire at 11:43 a.m. and found the boat in flames, with other boats nearby. Firefighters extinguished the fire in a few min. No one was on the boat, and no one was injured. "The boat was towed to a local marina and removed from the river to prevent any possible pollutants from the fire or fuel remaining on-board," the OWL VFD said. Read full story here.
03-24-13 SAN DIEGO, CA Three rescued from boat fire Sunday Nearby boaters rescued 3 people from a Mission Bay boat fire Sun. afternoon (03-24). The fire ignited about 2:30 p.m. aboard a 22-ft. runabout owned by the Paradise Point Resort, said Lt. Andy Lerum of San Diego Lifeguard Services. Lerum said all 3 people aboard the boat were rescued by other boaters when smoke began to pour from the craft. By the time a city fire boat arrived, the boat was fully engulfed. The crew extinguished the flames in a few min. An investigation into the fire’s cause is ongoing but is suspected to involve an overheated motor. Read full story here.
03-23-13 SPRING LAKE, MI Man seriously burned in boat explosion, fire at North Shore Marina in Spring Lake A man suffered serious burns after a boat exploded and caught fire inside a large storage building at North Shore Marina in Spring Lake on Sat. (03-23) The man was working on a boat when an explosion occurred, according to Grand Haven Public Safety Director Jeff Hawke. He was not sure whether the victim owned the boat he was working on or an employee of the marina. More than 30 firefighters from several Grand Haven-area FDs responded to the fire shortly before 11 a.m. Heavy smoke was still billowing out the 80,000-sq.ft. storage building at the business on the N. side of the Grand Haven Channel on Sat. afternoon. Hawke said 3 boats were damaged in the explosion and ensuing fire. He described all 3 as large pleasure boats. Many others likely had some smoke damage.
Firefighters attacked the fire in shifts before declaring the blaze under control around 2:30 p.m. Firefighters were concerned about oily runoff from the water they were using to extinguish the fire. They erected dikes on land to try containing the runoff and the USCG deployed containment booms in the Grand Haven Channel to keep the oily liquid from spreading in the water. CG officials were on the scene advising firefighters on how to contain the runoff. The victim was transported to N. Ottawa Community Hosp. in Grand Haven for treatment of his burns. His condition was not immediately known and Hawke did not release the man's name Sat. afternoon. Hawke said the investigation into what caused the explosion would begin after the fire was completely extinguished. A dollar value of the damage was not available Sat. The Grand Haven Dept. of Public Safety, along with the Crockery Township, Ferrysburg, Grand Haven Township, Robinson Township and Spring Lake FDs were on the scene.Read full story here.
Petty Officer Thomas McKenzie says the boat ran aground somewhere between the San Mateo and Dumbarton bridges on Sat. (03-23). McKenzie said the boat wasn't properly equipped to pinpoint its position in the waters, so the CG worked with the caller on the boat to determine its whereabouts. A rescue boat deployed to the scene wasn't able to get to the grounded vessel because of the shallow water and low tide, so rescuers on a helicopter hoisted the group to nearby San Carlos. A child, 2 teenagers, a man and a dog were among those rescued. Read full story here.
03-21-13 SQUAW LAKE, AZ BP agents rescue 3 after boat catches on fire Three men were rescued by U.S. Border Patrol agents when their boat caught fire Thur. morning (03-21) in the middle of Squaw Lake. No serious injuries were reported. The incident happened shortly before 10 a.m. when the inboard motor of the civilian boat caught fire. Although the men were able to contain the flame with an onboard fire extinguisher, the fire left their craft dead in the water. As the engine compartment still smoldered, agents with Yuma Station's Boat Unit helped the men transfer off their boat, and then towed the disabled vessel to a safe location where the Yuma Proving Ground FD was able to fully extinguish the fire. Read full story here.
What started as a fishing trip turned into a scary ordeal for one man after 2 boats collided in the water near Padre Island. Fire crews from Flour Bluff caught up with the boats at a bait shop at the end of the JFK Causeway. Officials say the fog played a role in the crash and while the damage was minor, one of the fishermen involved was hurt. Flour Bluff Vol. Fire Fighter Landon Sherman said, "I think they were going a little too fast. It's pretty dangerous. Luckily no one was seriously hurt." As a precaution, one of the fishermen was taken to the hosp. to get checked out. Read full story here.
According to the Plumas Co. Sheriff’s Office, Dirk Laurie Von-Bradford drowned after he became separated from his kayak about ¾ mi. above the falls. He was reportedly under water in the river for about 10 min. Von-Bradford was kayaking with 2 other people when the accident happened about 2:30 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene after his body was recovered. Plumas Co. Sheriffs Search and Rescue and California Highway Patrol air operations handled the recovery operation. A CHP helicopter was dispatched from Redding. Read full story here.