# ReleasableAccidentes

BARDID: MN-2015-0054
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-07-27 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:14:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Vermilion
NearestCityorTown: Tower
County: St Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentEvent3: Person struck by propeller
AccidentCause1: Unknown
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Two boaters observed a boat spinning in sharp circles. Upon further investigation, the boaters located a man in the water attempting to grab onto the boat. The witnesses said the victim was hit numerous times by the boat and its motor as the boat spun in circles. The witnesses pulled the boat away from the victim and saw him go underwater. One of the witnesses dove into the water to rescue the victim, but could not find him.

The victim was located two and a half hours later at the bottom of the lake. The incident was unwitnessed, so it is unknown what caused the victim to fall overboard.

The victim's wife indicated he had taken the boat out to go fishing at 6:30 pm and that he had not been wearing a life jacket. The wife indicated that the victim had not been drinking prior to the accident and had no medical concerns other than high blood pressure.
 


BARDID: MN-2015-0055
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-08-01 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Big Marine
NearestCityorTown: May Township
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fire/explosion (fuel)
AccidentCause1: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Engine
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was tied to the dock. When the cover was removed from the outboard motor, the top of the motor started on fire. The operator was able to put the fire out with the on board fire extinguisher.


BARDID: MN-2015-0056
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-07-31 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 08:46:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Golden Pond
NearestCityorTown: Sunberg
County: Kandiyohi
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper loading
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Three men were fishing from a 14 foot pontoon boat. One of the fishing lines got caught on a stump. All three men went to one side of the boat to help get the line free. When they did that, the pontoon capsized. All three were under the overturned watercraft. A truck driving past the lake saw the overturned watercraft and called authorities. Two of the men were able to get out from underneath the watercraft and on top of the boat. First responders arrived and got the two men back to shore, uninjured. The third man had been underwater about 15-20 minutes by this time. The dive team recovered the third man's body from underneath the boat. No one was wearing a life jacket, and none were found floating in the water. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2015-0057
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-07-30 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Kabetogama
NearestCityorTown: Kabetogama
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Rough
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: -1
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentEvent2: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was headed out fishing with 3 people on board, when it struck a submerged rock SE of Donut Island, causing damage to the boat and motor. The damage created a strong leak through three large indents in the bow of the boat. The prop and lower unit were also damaged, causing the boat to be unusable. The operator called the National Park Service for assistance. No alcohol or drugs were involved. Life jackets were on board, but were not being worn. One passenger received some bruising on her neck after hitting a rod on the windshield, but did not require medical attention. The operator said he was looking at the shoreline and the injured passenger was looking at the navigation map when the accident occurred. The National Park Service received the call on 7/30/15. St Louis County Sheriff's Office was notified on 8/2/15. The Deputy did not observe the damage, but did receive a report and pictures from the Park Ranger.


BARDID: MN-2015-0058
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-07-23 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:19:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Red Wing
County: Goodhue
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fire/explosion (fuel)
AccidentCause1: Failure to vent
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
The boat operator had just finished fueling the boat at the marina. The operator said that she left the dock and drove through the Colvill Park no wake zone. After exiting the no wake zone, the operator stopped the boat and turned off the engine so they could place a tube in the water to pull the kids behind the boat. The operator said she then started the boat motor and heard a loud bang and observed white smoke and then black smoke coming from the engine compartment. 

The operator said the boat engine was equipped with a halon extinguisher system which put out the fire. She then called 911 and anchored the boat to keep it from drifting. The County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene and assisted with towing the boat to the boat launch. The operator said the boat does have a blower for ventilation of the engine compartment but she did not turn it on after fueling or prior to restarting the engine on the river. A possible cause of the fire and explosion in the engine compartment was a build up of gasoline fumes. There were no injuries, and life jackets were being worn by all on board.


BARDID: MN-2015-0059
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-08-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:59:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Wymer
NearestCityorTown: Frazee
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person departed vessel
AccidentCause1: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Engine
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Family group was going for a pontoon ride. The operator pushed away from the dock and tried to start the motor. There was a mechanical issue and he could not get it started. He jumped in the water to bring the boat back to shore. He started to struggle, and others from the boat attempted to assist him, but were unsuccessful. After a 911 call was placed, they got him back to shore with the aid of an innertube. The rescue squad arrived and started CPR. CPR continued, although the victim was unresponsive. Life jackets were on board, but were only used by the two children (8 years and 5 years old) on board. A Type IV throwable was readily available on the floor of the boat, but was not used. A wind was blowing out (NW) causing the boat to drift (along with victim) out from shore. The boat was retrieved by a third party on the opposite side of the lake, with three people still on board.


BARDID: MN-2015-0068
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-08-22 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 22:45:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Rainy
NearestCityorTown: International Falls
County: Koochiching
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Poor
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was transporting two passengers at night when it struck the point of an island. The watercraft was on plane and at cruising speed when it hit the island and came to an abrupt stop. The operator and a passenger were ejected from the boat into the water. Neither was wearing a life jacket. 

The operator suffered lacerations to his hand/wrist area which required many stitches. The ejected passenger had a bruise on his cheekbone and reported hitting his head/face. The other passenger was thrown in the boat and suffered an injury to her leg. She was wearing a life jacket. The passengers reported that two boats arrived shortly and assisted them after hearing the accident. They did not know who the bystanders were, but said that they were driven from the scene to the landing by them. The victims then drove themselves to the medical center for treatment. The deputy interviewed all parties at the medical center. The operator was familiar with the area, but had become disoriented due to the dark conditions and poor visibility. Alcohol was not a contributing factor. The watercraft received some damage.


BARDID: MN-2015-0069
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2015-08-15 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:52:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Floyd
NearestCityorTown: Detroit Lakes
County: Becker
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent2: Sinking
AccidentEvent3: Capsizing
AccidentCause1: Sharp turn
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The County Sheriff's Office received a report of an air boat that had tipped over. The deputy arrived on scene. All parties from the watercraft were uninjured and were standing in shallow water. The operator stated that as he was turning the boat, it started to take on water. He slowed down, but too much water had entered the boat and it sank, turning on its side. Everyone on board jumped off and was able to stand in the water since it was only 4-5 feet deep where the air boat tipped. All were wearing life jackets. The watercraft was submerged and had been dragged upside down. It was a total loss.


BARDID: MN-2015-0070
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-08-26 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:36:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Rush
NearestCityorTown: Crosslake
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Unknown
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
The victim was observed falling or jumping from the personal watercraft which was approximately 200 yards from shore. The victim was not seen climbing back on the PWC so witnesses went to him by boat. The victim was wearing a Type III speed rated life jacket and was found face down in the water and unresponsive. He was removed from the water and CPR was given. EMS worked on the victim for an extended period of time but were unable to bring him back. The PWC was checked and had all required safety equipment and no noticeable defects. The victim was transported to the medical examiner for autopsy.


BARDID: MN-2015-0071
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-08-25 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Rainy
NearestCityorTown: International Falls
County: Koochiching
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentCause1: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Steering
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator of Watercraft #1 reported that he was operating near Red Sucker Island when the steering wheel locked up. He was unable to turn the wheel, causing him to ground the boat on the island. He was able to throttle back the motor and brace for the impact of the crash. The operator was the only occupant on the watercraft and was uninjured. He was assisted from the scene by a fisherman who witnessed the accident. The operator was not wearing a life jacket although there were life jackets on board. No alcohol use was reported, nor was there any evidence of it. The watercraft suffered some damage to the hull and the lower unit of the motor.


BARDID: MN-2015-0072
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-08-31 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 22:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Leech
NearestCityorTown: Walker
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Poor
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was cruising about 15 MPH and slowing to approach their dock. Watercraft #2 was anchored in the same area. Operator #1 did not see WC #2's anchor light and collided into the outboard engine of Watercraft #2 causing damage to the motor and also the hull of Watercraft #1. Life jackets were worn by all and there were no injuries.


BARDID: MN-2015-0073
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-05-09 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:09:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Farm Island
NearestCityorTown: Aitkin
County: Aitkin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator of the watercraft was motoring to a new location when the passenger fell overboard. This occurred at the same time the boat hit a wave, causing the boat to rock. The victim was wearing a life jacket and was underwater for several seconds. He was responsive when pulled from the water but as they pulled him out, he went unresponsive. CPR was started but the victim died. 

When the operator was interviewed, he stated that they were near the "creek" (later identified as the Ripple River inlet). The passenger had been sitting in the front of the boat in a lawn chair that had been tied to both sides of the boat. They decided to move to a different location when there was a "swell." The operator saw the passenger fall out of the boat. He was conscious at that point. He was wearing a life jacket, but his head went under for 30-45 seconds. The operator kept telling the victim to keep his head up and he heard the victim gasping. He tried to get the boat closer to the victim, but the wind kept pushing him away. When he got close to the victim, he attempted to get him back in the boat, but couldn't get him all the way in. He was able to get his head out of the water. The victim was unconscious at that point. The passenger of a nearby boat was a nurse, and came to help the operator. They got him in the boat and she started CPR. EMS discontinued CPR and pronounced him deceased.


BARDID: MN-2015-0074
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-09-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:56:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Champlin
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was being operated in the center of the river just south of the Ferry Bridge. The operator told his son that he was "going to try to trim the motor in his boat." Witness reported the boat was traveling downstream going approximately 80 MPH when it apparently collided with a tree branch in the river. The boat flipped over numerous times coming to rest upside down. The victim was removed from the river by his son (who was in another boat) and brought to shore where CPR was started. The victim was pronounced at the scene. It is unknown if the victim had been wearing a life jacket.


BARDID: MN-2015-0075
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-09-06 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:11:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Lower Whitefish
NearestCityorTown: Crosslake
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Other
OtherAccidentEvent: person tangled in activity equ
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was approaching the channel from Lower Whitefish Lake to Rush Lake. One of the passengers was pulling in the tube so they could go through the channel. She told the operator to "go" and he did. Her finger was still in the rope loop and when the rope pulled, the knot slipped, pinching her finger. Per North Ambulance, the finger was possibly partially severed. She was transported by ambulance to the hospital.


BARDID: MN-2015-0076
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-09-06 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:02:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Pelican
NearestCityorTown: Breezy Point
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator and passenger, both wearing life jackets, left on the personal watercraft pulling an empty tube. The passenger was facing backwards on the PWC and was holding the towing rope in her hand. The operator accelerated and the passenger fell off the PWC with the rope wrapped around her hand. When the operator accelerated away from the passenger in the water, the tow rope tightened around the passenger's hand, almost severing her pointer finger, her middle finger, her ring finger and her pinky finger from her hand. She was transported by ambulance to the hospital for surgery.


BARDID: MN-2015-0077
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-09-07 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 02:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Osakis
NearestCityorTown: Osakis
County: Todd
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Fair
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent2: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was approaching shore. The operator thought he was near his residence. Operator said that he began turning the boat to the right and then struck the dock. After hitting the dock, the boat went air born and then struck the rocky shore and came to a stop. The operator of the boat walked to his residence which is located approximately 1/2 mile south of where the accident occurred. As a result of the accident, the dock and the boat sustained damage. The operator later returned and insurance information was given to the property owner. The operator said he got lost because of darkness which contributed to the accident.

The incident was reported to the county sheriff's office at 0909 hours. The county contacted the boat owner and went to the residence with the damaged dock. While looking at the damage, the boat owner arrived. The deputy questioned the boat owner about what happened. The owner stated that he was on the lake and returning to his residence. He saw a light on and thought his mother had left the light on so he would know where to return. He said as he went through the reeds, there was a mist in the air and he had difficulty seeing. He said he turned the boat to the right and then struck the dock. After striking the dock, the boat went air born and then came to a stop after hitting the rocky shoreline. He then walked out to the road and down to his residence. The officer asked if he had been drinking and the operator said he had not been drinking at the time of the accident. The operator had cuts on his face and said he was going to go to the hospital to be treated for the injuries he had suffered in the accident. The operator had not been wearing a life jacket. Because the incident was reported 7 hours after it occurred, it is unknown whether alcohol was actually a factor.


BARDID: MN-2015-0078
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-09-06 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Minnetrista
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft with four people on board was pulling a tube with two people on it. The tube hit a wave and both people fell off. An elbow or knee of one tuber struck the other tuber in the head, causing her to receive an abrasion and to also lose consciousness. They were able to get her into the boat and brought her to shore. The victim had regained consciousness before authorities arrived. CPR was not performed, but she was transported to the hospital. All parties were wearing life jackets. The operator had consumed some alcohol that day, but passed all field sobriety tests. The non-injured person on the tube is listed in People as a witness.


BARDID: MN-2015-0079
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-09-19 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Fish Hook
NearestCityorTown: Park Rapids
County: Hubbard
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was going in a south/southwest direction. Watercraft #2 was drifting while occupants fished. The front, port side of Watercraft #1 struck the front, starboard side of Watercraft #2. Operator #1 admitted that he did not see Watercraft #2 before the collision. Operator #2 stated that he saw Watercraft #1 moments before the collision, but was unable to act in any way. Operator #2 also stated that he was able to see the back of the passenger who was sitting in the front pedestal seat area of WC #1, but was unable to see the operator. Operator #2 was injured from the impact. Life jackets were not used by any of the parties involved. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2015-0080
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-09-25 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Red Wing
County: Goodhue
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
AccidentCause2: Operator inattention
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
The Goodhue County Dispatch received a call of a sinking boat at the Upper Boat Harbor entrance with two people in the water. 

When authorities arrived, the boat's bow was the only part of the boat that was above the water line. The female passenger had swum to shore and the male operator was holding on to another boat that was in the area and had responded to help. The Fire Boat loaded the operator on to their boat and transported him to the marina dock. 

Both victims were checked out by the ambulance medics but had no injuries. 

The operator of the boat said they had just launched the boat and drove out on the main channel when water started to fill the boat. When they turned around and drove back to the mouth of the harbor the boat went under and the operator and passenger were in the water. The operator said the plug was not in and was allowing water to fill the boat. 

The sunken boat was towed back to the landing and removed from the water. When the boat was removed from the water, the plug was missing and water was running out. No life jackets were being worn, or found in the boat or floating on the water. The operator was arrested for boating while intoxicated. BAC is unknown because he refused the test.


BARDID: MN-2015-0081
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-09-14 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Fall
NearestCityorTown: Winton
County: Lake
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent2: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Victim was reported as overdue from fishing. He was supposed to return at 1600 hours and the sheriff's office received the call at 2021 hours. The deputy talked with the victim's wife and brother and both agreed that it was probably a motor issue and he would find a place to camp for the night and be home in the morning. Authorities spoke with the family the next morning. The victim was not home yet and they were getting concerned because he had not called, like he usually does if he's going to be late. A search was started. The victim's watercraft was located submerged near shore, with the plug removed. The motor was found in forward gear. The victim was found several hundred yards away, in 18 feet of water, deceased. The victim was not wearing a life jacket, it was located in the front of the boat. Alcohol was not a factor. There was no damage to the boat.

​

The deputy who investigated the incident believes, based on talking with the family and evidence during his investigation, that this was purely an accident. The victim was known to remove everything from his boat for portages and then reassemble on the other side. He is known to take the plug out when crossing portages. The location of gear is consistant with putting everthing back in the front of the boat for balance as he would then sit in back and operate the boat. Family stated the victim would always wear his life jacket and as it was not worn, and the plug was out of the boat, they feel he was loading and saw water coming in the boat, jumped in and took off to empty water by driving the boat. The motor was slightly loose so it's possible he was tightening the motor when he observed water coming in the boat. The deputy believes that either the motor jumped from being loose, or when the victim accelerated, he lost his balance and fell out of the boat, not wearing his life jacket.


BARDID: MN-2015-0082
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-09-25 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:24:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Swan
NearestCityorTown: Nicollet
County: Nicollet
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was traveling north through a channel on the lake in Poor Farm Bay. Watercraft #2 was traveling south in the same channel. Operator #1 claimed that WC #2 was traveling at a high rate of speed when they met, he didn't have time to correct himself and the boats struck. Watercraft #2 then went up and landed on Watercraft #1 on top of two juvenile passengers in WC #1. No injuries to one child. The other was taken to the emergency room by his father to have apparent leg injuries checked. Operator #1 admitted to having one beer earlier in the day but no signs of impairment were detected. Operator #2 was run through field sobriety tests due to slurred speech but no signs of impairment were detected. Life jackets were worn by all parties involved. There was no damage to the watercraft involved.


BARDID: MN-2015-0084
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2015-10-09 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Vermilion
NearestCityorTown: Cook
County: St Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Poor
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentEvent2: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was eastbound up on plane at approximately 20-25 MPH. The operator stated that it was pitch black outside and difficult to see. The boat struck the shore and came to a stop on the west side of the island. No one was ejected from the boat. Life jackets were worn by the two children in the boat. The boat was properly equipped with life jackets and safety equipment. The operator contacted a friend who picked the family up and transported them back to their cabin. When the operator initially reported the accident, he stated there were no injuries. Upon follow up on 10/10, the operator advised that his wife had received a fractured left ankle and one son received a fractured left arm. The boat received multiple areas of damage and was believed to be totaled. The boat was removed from the island on 10/10 and brought to Timbuktu Marina.


BARDID: MN-2015-0085
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-10-11 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:57:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Wayzata
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Carbon monoxide exposure
AccidentCause1: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Ventilation
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The victim was riding on a boat with her family and a neighbor family (4 adults and 5 children on board). She told her parents that her head hurt and she went to lay down in the rear sleeping area of the boat. Her father checked on her about 10-15 minutes later and found her unconscious and not breathing. CPR was started and authorities were called as they headed back to the docks in Wayzata Bay, where she was then transported to the hospital. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. An exhaust pipe, which ran underneath one of the beds in the cabin, was found to have a hole in it. Officers were unable to find any CO detectors on board. It is unknown if anyone was wearing life jackets.


BARDID: MN-2015-0086
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-10-19 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:46:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Big Marine
NearestCityorTown: Scandia
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Sharp turn
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator was cruising boat in open bay to burn off fuel before stowing the boat for the winter. He turned the engine too quick, throwing him overboard. He swam after the boat which was going in circles. He was able to pull the kill switch and clung to the side of the boat as he couldn't pull himself in. His wife drove a pontoon to him and saved him. He had not been wearing a life jacket. He received a cut on his hand and possible hypothermia. There was no damage to the boat.


BARDID: MN-2015-0088
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-06-13 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 00:02:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnesota
NearestCityorTown: Mankato
County: Nicollet
WaterConditions: Unknown
StrongCurrent: -1
HazardousWaters: -1
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Unknown
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Machinery failure
AccidentCause2: Hazardous waters
MachineryFailure: Engine
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator stated that the motor on the boat stopped working so he was using a trolling motor to power the boat to their destination. He said that the boat came upon some dead-fall trees and due to not having a working motor he was unable to steer around the obstruction in time. He said the boat got caught in the trees, the current turned the boat and the boat then capsized. All six occupants (5 adults and a baby) ended up in the water. Life jackets were on board, but not worn by anyone, including the 4-month-old. Everyone made it to shore, but the baby was having respiratory distress and was transported by ambulance to the hospital. The boat was not located and may have sunk. The river was running fast and the water was high. One of the adults on board was a co-worker (unknown middle and last name) who now lives out of state.


BARDID: MN-2015-0089
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-10-15 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 09:25:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Oak
NearestCityorTown: Kerrick
County: Pine
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Unknown
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
The victim/operator had been duck hunting with two other people. He dropped them off at the landing to retrieve the truck and trailer. When they returned, they saw the boat circling with no one on board. Rescue personnel responded to the scene. There was no sign of the man in the water. The boat was found downshore (east) of the public access, unoccupied, with the engine running at full throttle. Dragging operations were started and side scan sonar was used. The victim was located at about 6:43 p.m. in approximately nine feet of water and about 200 yards out from the public access. There were life jackets in the watercraft, but the victim was not wearing one. There was no damage to the boat.


BARDID: MN-2015-0090
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-11-02 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:12:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Mound
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator of Watercraft #1 was not paying attention while operating after dark. During the course of his ride, he ran into Watercraft #2. Operator #1 was ejected from his boat during the collision. The occupants of Watercraft #2 were able to get Operator #1 out of the water. WC #1 was still under power and going in circles. When back on shore, Operator #1 was complaining about being cold, Operator #2 had neck and head pain and the passenger of WC #2 said she had a sore arm and elbow. 

All parties were checked out by EMS staff and they all refused further treatment. Officers managed to stall Watercraft #1 by throwing utility bags at the motor. Watercraft #1 had red and green navigational lights displayed, but not a white 360. WC #2 had all navigational lights displayed. None of the parties involved were wearing life jackets. Alcohol was not a factor. Operator #1 was cited for careless operation.


BARDID: MN-2015-0091
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-11-13 00:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Anderson
NearestCityorTown: Starbuck
County: Pope
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Fair
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentEvent3: Sinking
AccidentCause1: Improper loading
AccidentCause2: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
A deer hunter was reported missing when he didn't return home. It was determined that he had taken a canoe to an island to hunt deer. The island was searched by family members. Deputies and conservation officers searched the water of the lake. Eventually, the canoe was located sunk in approximately 10 feet of water, 20 - 30 yards from shore where the canoe was put in the water. The search was suspended at about 10:30 pm and resumed on 11/14/15. The dive team located the body of the victim near the canoe. The family told officers that the victim could not swim. He was not wearing a life jacket. The canoe had not been registered. It is unknown what time the incident actually occurred.


BARDID: MN-2015-0092
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-10-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 00:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Lake of the Woods
NearestCityorTown: Angle Inlet
County: Lake of the Woods
WaterConditions: Rough
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Storm
Visibility: Poor
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Weather
AccidentCause2: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Three men were reported missing after their motorboat apparently capsized early Saturday morning. The men were last seen leaving Oak Island in the boat about 11:30 pm on Friday. It is believed they were heading to Flag Island where they were staying. The boaters were reported missing about 1:30 pm on Saturday. A multi-agency search was started Saturday, including several county sheriff's offices, MN DNR, U.S. Border Patrol, several police departments and a plane provided by U.S. Dept. Of Homeland Security based in Grand Forks. The capsized boat was found washed up on shore, upside down, on the SE shore of Flag Island at about 3:30 pm. The body of one victim was recovered by dragging on 10/9/15, north of Oak Island. The body of another victim was recovered after being spotted floating in front of a residence at the NE corner of Flag Island on 10/11/15. The last victim is still missing, as of 1/29/16. The victims had not been wearing life jackets, but there were life jackets found in the boat. Alcohol was a factor. There is no evidence to indicate which of the victims had been operating the boat.
 


BARDID: MN-2015-0093
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2015-11-27 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 09:50:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Pelican
NearestCityorTown: Buffalo
County: Wright
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Overloading
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Hunters were finished for the day. They had thrown the decoys into the boat and loaded up to cross the lake from east side to the west side landing. The front passenger stated they had about a foot of water in the bow. The operator reported letting up on the gas to slow the boat and as soon as he did so, the boat took a nose dive into the water. The boat was loaded with three adult males, three guns, decoys, other hunting equipment, and all three were wearing wet chest waders. The boat capsized. Two parties were using the boat to assist them floating along with life jackets. The third party was using a goose decoy as well as a life jacket to stay afloat. Two other hunters, who had not witnessed the accident, came across them and pulled them into their boat and called 911. They brought the parties to the access. All three parties were transported to the hospital, were treated for cold water exposure and released. The rescuers went back out and towed the boat and belongings back to shore. All three victims had been wearing life jackets and alcohol was not a factor. There was a small amount of damage to the boat.


BARDID: MN-2016-0001
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-03-20 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Shields
NearestCityorTown: Forest Lake
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Victim/Operator went out fishing. It was his first time out with his new kayak. There was a Type III life jacket on board, but victim was not wearing one. His water bottle was stored behind him. He turned to get his water bottle and the kayak capsized. Due to cold weather, he was wearing long johns, pants, a flannel shirt and a fishing vest. Due to cold water and clothing restrictions, he was unable to swim. A neighbor rescued him with his personal canoe. The victim was treated for hypothermia. The kayak is new and is not yet registered.


BARDID: MN-2016-0002
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-04-15 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:09:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Rice
NearestCityorTown: Brainerd
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by propeller
AccidentCause1: Sharp turn
AccidentCause2: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator was operating at planing speed. She let go of the tiller handle, causing the motor to turn abruptly. Both the operator and the passenger were thrown overboard. Neither were wearing a life jacket. The operator was struck multiple times by the boat while it was spinning in tight circles, suffering lacerations to her hand, arm, and head. A witness on shore ran to his neighbor (who had just put his pontoon in the water earlier that day) and they went out to rescue the victims. 

Watercraft #1 was equipped with both wearable and throwable life jackets, however all were in storage compartments in the boat. The motor was properly equipped with a kill switch lanyard, but it was not worn by the operator.


BARDID: MN-2016-0003
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-04-11 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:29:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Rainy
NearestCityorTown: Baudette
County: Lake of the Woods
WaterConditions: Rough
StrongCurrent: -1
HazardousWaters: -1
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Hazardous waters
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Authorities received a call regarding a body floating in the river. Sheriff's deputies arrived at the boat landing to put their boat in and saw a truck and trailer backed up to the water. They spoke to two men who said they were waiting for a friend who was overdue to arrive by boat. They said the friend was in a small duck boat and was alone. The officers launched their boat and headed downriver. About 1.5 - 2 miles downriver, they observed a man with an inflatable life jacket floating lifeless in the water. He also had a Type IV throwable seat cushion floating with him. They got him in the boat, started CPR, and headed back to the landing. The waiting ambulance took the victim to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A search was started for the boat, which was located on 4/13/16 in about 24 feet of water.

Authorities interviewed the victim's two friends. The three of them had come up to the victim's cabin for the weekend to fish. On Sunday (4/10), the victim made the decision to keep the boat in the water due to high winds. On Monday morning (4/11) he changed his mind since he wouldn't be back to the cabin for about a month. He headed to the landing, which was about 3 miles away, in the boat. It was windy and cold. His friends took the truck and trailer to the landing. They saw him on the river about 1/2 mile from his leaving point and he was still moving. They got to the landing and waited. When he wasn't in sight after about 10 minutes, they started to worry. Then the authorities arrived.
 


BARDID: MN-2016-0004
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-05-01 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 00:17:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Carlos
NearestCityorTown: Carlos
County: Douglas
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentCause1: Improper loading
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator said they were moving forward at approximately 5 miles per hour when he slowed the throttle to remove the trolling motor from the water. He said two of the occupants were on the bow-fishing platform on the bow and the bow dipped, causing water to overtake the bow. 

He said all the occupants went to the back of the boat which shifted the water to the back and then the boat submerged evenly in the water. He estimated they were in about five feet of water and that one occupant went overboard during the commotion, but was quickly brought back onboard by the others. 

They all stood on the platform in waist-deep water until they were rescued. There were no life jackets on board the boat. All occupants were checked by North Ambulance and released. No injuries. The watercraft and equipment sustained some water damage. The bow-fishing platform had been added to the boat, which added weight.


BARDID: MN-2016-0005
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-04-30 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 00:46:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: St Paul
County: Ramsey
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: -1
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Fair
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
St. Paul Police had made contact with the boat occupant, who had called 911 after his friend had fallen into the river while they were fishing. The man stated the following: He and the victim (who was the boat operator) had started fishing on 4/29 at about 1700 hours. They had put their boat into the Minnesota River and fished their way down the river and were anchored in the Mississippi River under the Highway 35 bridge (between St Paul and Mendota Heights. The victim was adjusting one of the anchors and he fell into the water. He was not wearing a life jacket. The passenger saw the victim come to the surface attempting to swim and floating down stream. The passenger tried to pull up the anchors, but one was caught on something. He believes it was the propeller of the motor. He cut the anchor line and tried to start the boat to go after the victim, but the boat would not start. He and the boat drifted to land (north shore of the river). He kept calling out to the victim, but lost sight of him and received no answer.

State Patrol Helicopter, St. Paul Fire boat and County Sheriff's boats searched the river in the area where the victim was last seen. They were unsuccessful in locating the victim.

The passenger smelled of alcohol and appeared to be intoxicated. He stated several times that he was not driving the boat, the victim was the operator. When asked if the victim had been drinking with him, he stated yes.

The body of the missing victim was pulled from Spring Lake (which is part of Pool 2 of the Mississippi River) in Dakota County on May 16. Waiting for an updated report to be submitted.
 


BARDID: MN-2016-0006
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-05-14 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:58:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Lake of the Woods
NearestCityorTown: Baudette
County: Lake of the Woods
WaterConditions: Rough
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Fair
AccidentEvent1: Collision with floating object
AccidentEvent2: Flooding/swamping
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was anchored in about 15 feet of water and the operator and passenger were fishing. 

The operator started the motor before pulling the anchor up. He put the motor in gear and the anchor rope got sucked into the propeller on the motor. 

The boat suddenly spun around and the rear corner went below the water level. 

The boat began to fill with water and the bilge pump could not keep up. The nose of the boat stood straight up in the air as the back of the boat went down. There were no wearable life jackets accessible at the time the boat filled with water and the operator grabbed several throwable flotation devices, giving two of them to the passenger. 

Once the boat went below the water, they held on to the throwables and began yelling for help. There were several boats in the area and one immediately came to their rescue. The operator and passenger were in the water for about two or three minutes before being rescued. They were brought back to the resort where they were able to change into dry clothing. The operator stated he didn't know who the rescuers were because they immediately went back out fishing. There were no injuries. The resort owner said the resort employees would go out and retrieve the boat as soon as possible.


BARDID: MN-2016-0007
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-05-15 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:55:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Big Bass
NearestCityorTown: Cohasset
County: Itasca
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent2: Sinking
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Overloading
AccidentCause2: Hazardous waters
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Emergency responders treated and transported victims prior to deputy's arrival on scene. Upon arrival, it was determined which victim was the operator of the watercraft. It was determined that while traveling across the lake, a large wave partially submerged the watercraft. As this took place an additional wave totally sank the watercraft. 

According to all parties involved, they then fastened their life jackets while in the water. The operator stated they attempted to overturn the watercraft, but were unsuccessful. All subjects then started swimming to shore. The operator arrived first, after being in the water for approximately 25 minutes. Once on shore, he was able to make contact with a resident who called authorities. The husband (listed in this report as a witness) then responded with his pontoon boat to the two victims still in the water. The victims were removed from the water and brought to shore. All victims were transported to the hospital by ambulance, where they were treated for hypothermia. The operator was checked for alcohol use. The watercraft was removed the following day.


BARDID: MN-2016-0008
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-05-22 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:22:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Orono
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person departed vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
A group of co-workers rented a pontoon for an outing on the lake after work. They boarded the boat at about 1500 hours. They cruised around and made a couple of stops. After the last stop, they headed back to Smith's Bay. The victim said he was going to jump off the boat. The other passengers urged him not to. The victim dove into the water from the moving watercraft. The watercraft circled around to the victim. The victim was unresponsive in the water. The passengers pulled the victim from the water onto the boat and started CPR. The victim was transported to shore. Emergency responders continued CPR. Victim was pronounced dead at scene by paramedics. Life jackets were not used. The operator had not been drinking.
 


BARDID: MN-2016-0009
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-05-19 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 22:41:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Gull
NearestCityorTown: East Gull Lake
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
AccidentCause2: Operator inattention
AccidentCause3: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was trolling eastbound approximately 300 yards out from shore north of Gull Point, when the occupants noticed Watercraft #2 approaching from the stern. Occupants of Watercraft #1 attempted to yell and wave at Watercraft #2 to gain its attention but were unsuccessful. Watercraft #2 struck the starboard rear corner of Watercraft #1, and then went up over the top of Watercraft #1. The operator of Watercraft #1 jumped overboard and appeared uninjured at the time of the accident. One of the passengers from WC #1 was injured by WC #2 and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. The third party from WC #1 was uninjured. After the accident, WC #2 turned around and attempted to render aid to WC #1. One of the parties from WC #2 jumped in the water and swam over to WC #1 to assist. Both watercraft made it safely to shore and tied up to the docks at Ernie's Restaurant. Of the eight parties on WC #2, 1 person was injured and was transported to the hospital for treatment. The operator of WC 2 was arrested for BWI. Operator #1 said he had a couple of beers earlier in the day, but had no indications present for drinking.


BARDID: MN-2016-0010
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2016-05-21 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:33:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Mound
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
AccidentCause2: Operator inexperience
AccidentCause3: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was westbound in Harrisons Bay travelling approximately 15-20 mph. Watercraft #2 (a PWC) was northbound in Harrisons Bay from Seton Channel with a group of PWCs. WC #1 had right-of-way. WC #2 slowed to a stop in path of WC #1. WC #1 turned hard starboard to try to avoid collision with WC #2. WC #1 struck WC #2 with bow to WC #2's starboard side, knocking the operator into the water. Operator #1 jumped into the water to keep Operator #2 away from WC #1's prop. Operator #2's friend came with a personal watercraft to bring Operator #2 to shore. Operator #2 was taken to the hospital by parents. When deputy talked to Operator #2 he said he had slowed down to approach the dock. He said he was stopped in the water for a couple of seconds before the collision occurred. He did not see the striking watercraft coming. Alcohol was not a factor in the accident and Operator #2 was wearing a life jacket. There was no damage to WC #1, but significant damage to WC #2. Owner #2 believed the craft to be totaled.


BARDID: MN-2016-0011
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-05-22 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:43:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Excelsior
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was tied to a dock at a local restaurant. 

Watercraft #2 was operating in the area of the docks. Operator #2 said he shifted the boat in and out of gear. Watercraft #2 backed into Watercraft #1. WC #1 was damaged on the swim deck causing several chips and cracks. WC #1 was pushed forward into the dock breaking the bow light and scratching the bow area. There was no damage to WC #2. 

Alcohol was not a factor in the incident.


BARDID: MN-2016-0012
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-05-13 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:16:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Bemidji
County: Beltrami
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Fair
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentCause1: Overloading
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator was paddling through the Mississippi River en route to the Gulf of Mexico when both his kayak and his trailing kayak hauling his equipment became grounded on a mud flat. In an attempt to free himself from the flat, he lost his hat and gloves and became cold. He used a solar powered cell phone to call his wife in Utah, and requested assistance as he was falling victim to the weather conditions. He was helped by two MN DNR Conservation Officers and brought to the emergency room where he was treated for frostbite on his feet.


BARDID: MN-2016-0013
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-05-24 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 22:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Winnibigoshish
NearestCityorTown: Bena
County: Itasca
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Inadequate onboard navigation lights
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was trolling in a southbound direction on the west side of the lake. Watercraft #2 was coming from a bay area and did not see Watercraft #1. 

As a result, the port side of WC #2 struck the stern/starboard rear of WC #1. Discrepancy as to whether the stern light for WC #1 was on. The light was damaged as a result of the collision. The bow lights of both watercraft were working. There were no injuries and alcohol was not a factor. Nobody was wearing a life jacket. This was initially reported to the Cass County Sheriff's Office. They called Itasca County Sheriff's Office with the information.


BARDID: MN-2016-0014
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-05-22 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:17:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Forest
NearestCityorTown: Forest Lake
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was floating against the DNR dock when Watercraft #2 was unloaded from its trailer. WC #2 turned to exit the launch area and its rear starboard corner struck WC #1 on the port side, leaving a six inch scratch on WC #1.


BARDID: MN-2016-0015
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-05-28 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 23:50:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Shetek
NearestCityorTown: Slayton
County: Murray
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator/victim met friend at a local restaurant/bar. He left at approximately 2350 hours. He was reported missing and a search was started. His pontoon was located on the east side of the lake. The ignition was still on, the motor not running. The overheat light was on, the master switch off, navigation light switch on and docking lights on. Life jackets were located under the seating and table area to the left of the driver's seat. The victim had fallen overboard and could not swim. His body was recovered on 05/30/16 at 1337 hours, approximately 200 yards south of his residence and approximately 150 feet from the shoreline. He was not wearing a life jacket and alcohol was a factor. Have not yet received the operator/victim's BAC - will update when available.
 


BARDID: MN-2016-0016
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-05-29 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Birch
NearestCityorTown: Hackensack
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was anchored approximately 1/4 mile off campground. The three occupants were fishing. 

Watercraft #2 was traveling north at planing speed with three occupants. WC #2 ran into the rear corner of WC #1 with a glancing impact. No persons were injured or ejected. There was no damage to Watercraft #1. It is unknown whether alcohol was a factor.


BARDID: MN-2016-0017
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-05-30 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Leech
NearestCityorTown: Walker
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fire/explosion (fuel)
AccidentCause1: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Engine
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was cruising when the engine cabin started smoking under power. Engines quit running and onboard engine cabin sprinkler system activated and put out fire. Engine/fire damage did result. There were no injuries.


BARDID: MN-2016-0026
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-06-14 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Red Wing
County: Goodhue
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was docked at a marina in Red Wing. Owner #1 went to check boat on 6/17/16 and noticed a note on the boat. The note explained that a subject (not confirmed) hit watercraft #1 with his boat. The note described bad weather as the cause of the accident. The note contained a phone number and also insurance policy and company. The phone number provided went to another person not related to the incident. The county sheriff's office has attempted contact with the insurance company to verify if the policy and owner's name are correct. To date, they have not received a response.

The marina where WC #1 was docked is in a no wake zone, near a public access. It is suspected that excessive speed by WC #2 may have played a part.


BARDID: MN-2016-0027
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-06-28 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 09:20:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Cut Foot Sioux
NearestCityorTown: Inger
County: Itasca
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
The sheriff's office received a call that a watercraft was out of control and traveling in circles and there was a person in the water calling for help with the motorboat nearby. The victim was recovered by a Leech Lake Conservation Officer. He was brought to the landing and was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. It was discovered that the man had rented a boat and motor. He was the only person in the craft. When the deputy had arrived, the watercraft was still traveling in circles. It eventually ran out of gas and it was discovered that the hand throttle (tiller) was fully engaged and the handle was broken and wedged underneath the transom/gunwale area. It appeared the man had engaged the throttle and was unable to maintain control as the man was thrown from the watercraft. The victim was not wearing a life jacket. There was a wearable life jacket on board (in compartment) and a throwable on the floor of the craft. There were no eye witnesses to the exact happenings. There was another boat in the area, who helped the officer get the victim from the water to the landing.


BARDID: MN-2016-0028
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-06-18 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:12:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Superior
NearestCityorTown: Duluth
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person struck by propeller
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator pulled the watercraft up near a sand point so that some of the occupants could get off. The operator became concerned as the boat drifted into shallower water. He started the motor and put it in gear. In the meantime, one of the passengers was near the aft of the boat near the starboard corner in the water. The moving propeller struck the victim in the lower back causing two deep lacerations. She was transported by ambulance to the hospital. Alcohol may have been a factor but the operator and some of his friends left prior to the arrival of law enforcement. They were unable to locate him that night. He was issued a ticket for reckless operation for endangering life with the prop strike.


BARDID: MN-2016-0029
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-06-26 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:49:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Waconia
NearestCityorTown: Waconia
County: Carver
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by propeller
AccidentEvent3: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Other
AccidentCause2: Force of wake/wave
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The passenger on the boat fell overboard while reaching for his hat. The passenger fell after the boat was slowing and a wave caused the boat to roll slightly to one side, which also caused the operator to lose his grip on the steering wheel. When the passenger fell out, his leg was struck by the turning prop and "stinger" anchor device. The operator was able to pull the injured passenger back onto the boat and return to the dock where emergency services responded.


BARDID: MN-2016-0030
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:29:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Red Wing
County: Goodhue
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was anchored and tied to other boats at the sand pit located on the river north of Lock and Dam #3. 

A 36' Carver went by, going 12-14 MPH south on the river. It was throwing an approximately 4 ft wake. The wake caused another watercraft that was tied to WC #1 to hit the starboard railing on WC #1. Operator #1 took a personal watercraft and caught up with Watercraft #2. Operator #1 also noted six to seven other small boats in the area and that they were not responsible for the large wake.

Operator #2 advised he was southbound on the river. He passed the sand pit going about 10 MPH. Operator #2 noticed other boaters in the area going by and none of them were signaling him to slow down. Also, nobody alerted him over the marine radio to slow down. He didn't think his boat was throwing any bigger wake than was usual. He was at Lock and Dam #3 when a man on a personal watercraft came up and told him he was throwing a big wake. The man on the PWC told him he was responsible for his wake and he was calling the cops.

Operator #1 advised of witnesses, but at the time of this report, none had come forward.


BARDID: MN-2016-0031
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-01 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:22:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Big Sturgeon
NearestCityorTown: Side Lake
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
AccidentCause2: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Two parties travelling together on two different personal watercraft were coming through a navigation channel from one lake to another. PWC #1 ran into the back of PWC #2, causing moderate damage to PWC #2. Operator #2 sustained a minor injury to the rear of her right shoulder where PWC #1 struck her. The victim had her injuries examined by a doctor and determined no serious injury. Both operators were wearing life jackets. Operator #1 received her watercraft operator's permit in April 2016. Waiting to hear back from County Sheriff about the amount of damage sustained by Watercraft #2.


BARDID: MN-2016-0032
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-01 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:40:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Pleasant
NearestCityorTown: Rockville
County: Stearns
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Sharp turn
AccidentCause2: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was pulling a tube with two girls on it. There was a spotter in the watercraft. Watercraft #1 turned and the tube struck its own wake and flipped. One tuber complained of leg and back pain and was transported to the hospital. There were no injuries to the other person on the tube. All were wearing life jackets.


BARDID: MN-2016-0033
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:50:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Horseshoe
NearestCityorTown: Richmond
County: Stearns
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
AccidentCause2: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was traveling straight. Watercraft #2 passed in front of Watercraft #1. Watercraft #2 then began to try to parallel WC #1. While trying to do this, WC #2 turned too sharply and started to get close to WC #1. WC #1 turned sharply to the left, but WC #2 struck WC #1. All involved were wearing life jackets. There was minor damage to WC #2, and no damage to WC #1. There were minor injuries to the two passengers on WC #2. They were treated at the scene and released. All parties involved were related.


BARDID: MN-2016-0034
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-04 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: St Croix
NearestCityorTown: Afton
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fire/explosion (non-fuel)
AccidentCause1: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Electrical
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator started up the boat, backed up from beach and then started to smell electrical burning. His wife (the owner) said "something is wrong" as smoke was coming from behind them. The operator dropped anchor and then heard a sound that sounded like the fire suppression system had released. There were no injuries. It is unknown if life jackets were being worn.


BARDID: MN-2016-0035
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-06-11 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:24:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Double
NearestCityorTown: Westbrook Twp Sec. 23
County: Cottonwood
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The victim was being pulled on a tube by Watercraft #1. The watercraft was attempting to make a turn. There was too much weight in the boat and it didn't respond quick enough. The tube was headed toward the shoreline, so the operator attempted to turn the boat in an effort to pull the tube away from the shoreline. There were trees hanging out over the water and the person on the tube struck one of the overhanging trees. He was taken to the hospital. The victim had been wearing a life jacket. Charges to operator are pending.


BARDID: MN-2016-0036
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-01 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 00:46:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Homer
County: Winona
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: -1
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Poor
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 (a personal watercraft) was pulling Watercraft #2 which was disabled, at night with no navigation lights. They ran into an emerged tree and Watercraft #1 tipped over. Operator #1 was not wearing a life jacket at the time of collision. Operator #2 (who was wearing a life jacket) grabbed a manual inflatable life jacket and swam out to Operator #1. He inflated the life jacket and gave it to Operator #1. The current was strong and took Operator #1 down river, separating him from the boats. He was still holding the inflatable. Operator #2 then swam back to his boat and called 911. Emergency personnel found both vessels and Operator #2 at about 0115 hours. Operator #1 was found floating in the main channel with severe hypothermia at about 0400 hours. He was transported to the hospital. Deputies talked to Operator #2. He said he had lost power to his outdrive and was able to paddle to shore. He called his dad to help get WC #2 out of the water. His dad showed up on a personal watercraft to tow WC #2. Alcohol was a factor. Operator #1 was charged with operating a personal watercraft after operating hours, operating a personal watercraft without a life jacket, and BWI.


BARDID: MN-2016-0037
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-02 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:54:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Orono
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator #1 was driving himself and two passengers through Maxwell Bay to refuel the personal watercraft. They were traveling approximately 40 MPH when they hit a wave and all three occupants were ejected from the watercraft. The operator suffered a large contusion to his inner thigh. The middle passenger sustained a 3-6 inch laceration on the back of his head. The rear passenger received no injuries. The injured passenger boarded the PWC and drove the other two parties to shore. An Orono police officer responded and began first aid. Water Patrol deputies arrived and took a report of the incident. The operator did not require further medical attention. The middle passenger was transported to the medical center for further medical treatment.


BARDID: MN-2016-0038
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-02 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:55:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Turtle
NearestCityorTown: Shoreview
County: Ramsey
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Overloading
AccidentCause3: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was pulling tubers at between 25-30 MPH. The tube was designed for two people and there were three adults on it. The tube hit some waves and it threw the victim (according to witnesses) 10-20 feet. The tuber was knocked unconscious and was rescued by another boater. The operator had just purchased the tube and knew nothing about towing speed recommendation. The injured victim was transported to the hospital by ambulance. All involved were wearing life jackets.


BARDID: MN-2016-0039
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-02 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:40:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Josephine
NearestCityorTown: Roseville
County: Ramsey
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
AccidentCause2: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
According to a witness, the two personal watercraft were chasing each other around and jumping over wakes. Operator #2 stated that he was going towards Watercraft #1 and hit big waves. He took his hand off the throttle and couldn't steer, striking Watercraft #1. All involved were wearing life jackets. There was damage to both watercraft. Operator and passenger from WC #2 were both injured. Neither operator had a Watercraft Operator's permit but Operator #1 had an adult as a passenger and Operator #2 had a passenger age 20.


BARDID: MN-2016-0040
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-24 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:25:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Ponto
NearestCityorTown: Backus
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Sudden medical condition
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The victim had been on the lake operating a personal watercraft when he fell off. The victim's parents observed him fall off and immediately went out to his location in another watercraft. When they got there, he was found floating face down in the water. They were able to get him onto their watercraft and bring him to their dock, where CPR was started. First Responders arrived on scene and assisted with CPR. When the county deputy arrived, CPR was being administered by a machine and a defibrillator was also being used. Resuscitation efforts continued until 1516 hrs when the victim was pronounced as deceased. He had been wearing a life jacket. The victim had a myocardial infarction which probably caused him to fall off his PWC. The cause of death was drowning. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2016-0041
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:15:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Leech
NearestCityorTown: Walker
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Sharp turn
AccidentCause3: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Two personal watercraft were traveling together with Watercraft #2 slightly in front of Watercraft #1. Operator #2 turned sharply in front of Watercraft #1. 

Watercraft #1 could not stop in time and the two PWCs collided. There were no injuries. The three parties involved are triplets, so all have the same date of birth. It is unknown if there was alcohol involved. The incident was not reported to the county sheriff's office, however, one of the deputies heard about it and the sheriff's office hunted them down the following day to get information for the report.


BARDID: MN-2016-0042
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:45:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Winona
County: Winona
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent2: Flooding/swamping
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator #1 turned from a southbound travel toward Lock and Dam 5a to investigate a possible stranded boater. He didn't find the disabled boater. Operator #1 then proceeded to turn around again and continue southbound about 3/4 of a mile above Lock and Dam 5a. The operator accelerated. When the boat started planing off, at about 30 MPH, the boat impacted a large green channel marker buoy on the Minnesota side of the river. The buoy placed a 24 inch hole in the front of the boat, causing severe damage. The boat was able to maintain flotation. Lock and Dam 5a notified the Sheriff's Office when the boat came into lock. There were no injuries and all aboard were wearing life jackets. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2016-0043
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-04 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Wayzata
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 and Watercraft #2 were travelling in the same direction. They were headed north toward the City of Wayzata. Watercraft #2 struck the side of Watercraft #1 near the front half of the starboard side. The damage appeared to be a scrape in the fiberglass on WC #1. Watercraft #2 appeared to have blue paint on the rub rail near the front half of the port side. WC #2 kept going and headed to the public docks in Wayzata. WC #1 followed them there. 

When the County Sheriff's Water Patrol arrived, they discovered that a local police officer was letting the people from WC #2 flee the scene. 

Water Patrol deputies were able to stop two passengers from WC #2, neither of which matched the description of the female operator at the time of the crash. Deputies found three other people from WC #2 and when they were interviewed, they said they knew nothing about a crash. They appeared to have been drinking and also did not match the description of the operator. 

The operator of WC #1 was interviewed. He said he was travelling north when he saw a boat out of the corner of his eye approaching fast from his right (starboard) side. He said he veered left but it was too late and the other boat hit them near the front half of his boat. He got a look at the female driver. When the boat kept going, they followed it to the docks. A passenger in WC #1 was able to take pictures of the people on WC #2. 

Once at the dock, the operator of WC #2 (at the time of the crash) and the owner's son (later identified by the driver's license left in the boat and the photos showing him driving) were the first ones to leave the boat and walk up the dock. All the other parties were found mixed in the crowd at the park near the docks. In the meantime, the owner of WC #2 arrived. He said his son had called him and asked him to pick up the boat. He said he didn't know where his son was. Owner #2 left to pick up the extra set of keys. 

The operator of WC #1 had not been drinking. It is unknown whether the operator of WC #2 had been. It is also unknown if life jackets were used. There were no injuries. The people from WC # 1 thought there may have been 12 to 15 people on board WC #2 at the time of the incident.


BARDID: MN-2016-0044
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:24:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: West Silent
NearestCityorTown: Dent
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #2 was cruising at a slow rate of speed in front of the public access. The operator of Watercraft #1 drove the personal watercraft next to Watercraft #2 and accidentally came up over the back of the boat toward the left front, smashing the windshield and narrowly missing the occupants of the boat. Alcohol and drugs were not a factor. No injuries were reported. Operator #1 was issued a citation for careless operation.


BARDID: MN-2016-0045
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:08:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Lotus
NearestCityorTown: Chanhassen
County: Carver
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Victim had not been water skiing in years. He was attempting to water ski on one ski when he pulled/tore a hamstring muscle. He was brought back on the boat after sustaining the injury and medical personnel met the boat at the dock. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital for treatment. Alcohol was not a factor and all were wearing life jackets.


BARDID: MN-2016-0046
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-02 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:18:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Maple
NearestCityorTown: Alexandria
County: Douglas
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person struck by vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
AccidentCause3: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was traveling east on the lake heading toward the east shoreline. Operator #1 was traveling above plane (wake speed) within 150 feet of shore. Watercraft #1 collided with the victim, who was swimming in the lake about 50 - 75 feet from shore. Operator #1 tried an evasive 180 degree maneuver, but the back of the watercraft struck the victim in the back of the head. The maneuver caused the passenger on the watercraft to be thrown in the water (no injury). Operator #1 and friends and family helped bring the victim to shore where he was turned over to medical personnel. He was transported to the hospital with a laceration to the back of the head and internal bleeding on the brain. Operator #1 was observed for alcohol and drugs but showed no signs of impairment. Watercraft #1 did not have current registration. The operator was cited for reckless operation and also for operating at greater than slow no-wake speed within 150 feet of shoreline and also a swimmer. The owner was cited for lack of valid registration.


BARDID: MN-2016-0047
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:24:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Latoka
NearestCityorTown: Alexandria
County: Douglas
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentEvent3: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
This incident was reported 90 minutes after the fact. Watercraft #1 was doing figure 8s on the south end of the lake. Watercraft #2 was pulling a tube with one occupant on it in the same area. Both operators stated they did not see each other. The two watercraft collided with each other. The rear portion of Watercraft #1 collided with the left side of Watercraft #2, which caused Operator #1 to fall off. After the collision, Watercraft #2 turned to the right, away from WC #1. The tube with the lone occupant then hit WC #1, causing the tuber to fall off. WC #1 was unoccupied when the tube struck it. The tuber received a fractured tailbone and a torn glute muscle. Operator #1 was wearing a life jacket and so was the tuber behind WC #2. The occupants of WC #2 were not wearing life jackets. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2016-0048
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-30 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:08:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Orono
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: -1
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person departed vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
AccidentCause2: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The victim was on a drifting pontoon boat with a group of people in an area with a lot of boat traffic. The group was playing on a floating swim mat and victim jumped off the boat into the water to join them. The victim bobbed a couple of times before going under water. Several attempts were made to grab her but were unsuccessful. The victim was not wearing a life jacket. The operator had not been drinking.


BARDID: MN-2016-0049
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:32:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Carlos
NearestCityorTown: Alexandria
County: Douglas
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was traveling northeast toward Watercraft #2. Watercraft #2 was drifting, facing east. Operator #1 was traveling to meet up with WC #2 and was traveling above plane (wake) speed. 

Operator #1 cut power to the engine and didn't realize WC #2 was just drifting. Operator #1 stated he hit a wave right before making contact with WC #2. 

WC #1 went up and over WC #2, sending the occupants of WC #2 into the water. Another personal watercraft operator saw the accident and assisted with medical aid. The occupants of WC #2 were brought to the shore and later transported to the emergency room by family. Alcohol was not a factor. All involved were wearing life jackets. There were only a few scratches to WC #1. There was a small amount of damage to WC #2. Operator #1 was warned about the driving conduct.


BARDID: MN-2016-0050
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2016-07-08 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:24:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Le Homme Dieu
NearestCityorTown: Alexandria
County: Douglas
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
AccidentCause2: Operator inattention
AccidentCause3: Restricted vision
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was cruising westbound on the lake into the sun and Watercraft #2 was anchored. 

Occupants of WC #2 saw WC #1 approaching so they stood up, yelled and waved their arms. 

WC #1 took evasive action and struck the outboard motor on WC #2. The passenger in WC #2 jumped overboard before the crash. None of the occupants were injured. 

The operator Watercraft #1 was arrested for BWI. A witness reported seeing WC #1 cruising with the "bow up" and into the sun. The witness reported seeing an occupant of WC #2 jump into the lake just prior to the crash. The witnesses reported seeing WC #1 return to the scene and check on the occupants of WC #2. The witnesses towed WC #2 to shore.


BARDID: MN-2016-0051
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2016-07-08 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:55:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Long
NearestCityorTown: Eden Lake Township
County: Stearns
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Fall in vessel
AccidentEvent3: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was traveling west on the lake with three people on board. Watercraft #2 was traveling south with one person on board. WC #2 struck WC #1 broadside. The operators of both watercraft said they did not see each other. In a statement, Operator #2 said that he only saw "a blur" out of the corner of his eye. Operator #1 and the uninjured passenger said WC #2 went up and over their boat. Operator #2 said he teetered on WC #1 but ended up sliding back down. Operator #2 did have the lanyard attached to him and when the collision occurred, he was thrown from his seat and the motor shut off. There were no injuries to Operator #2. Operator #1 and one passenger of WC #1 were injured. The passenger was air lifted to the hospital. Life jackets were not worn by anyone in the incident. Alcohol was not a factor. Both watercraft received damage.


BARDID: MN-2016-0052
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-12 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:10:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Kabetogama
NearestCityorTown: Kabetogama
County: St Louis
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
At 1845 hours, Watercraft #1 left the resort with an operator and 3 passengers. They were all wearing life jackets. They started fishing south and east of Little Martin Island. The boat was drifting. 

At about 1910 hours, the boat got caught up on rock on both the port and starboard side of the hull. 

The boat motor was not on rocks and was not damaged. The operator attempted to get off the rocks but was unable to. A passerby attempted to help tow them off but was unsuccessful. 

Due to a severe storm, the other boat returned to shore and called 911. The people on the boat rode the storm out in the boat. Kabetogama Fire, Voyageur National Park and U.S. Border Patrol responded to assist the boaters. 

They were unable to free the boat and it was left on the rocks, anchored for the night, with the bow light left on for safety. The four were transported to the Kabetogama Visitor Center and there they refused medical treatment as none of them were injured. They were transported back to the resort. The resort removed the boat from the rocks the following day. Alcohol was not a factor. The rocks had been marked by a buoy.


BARDID: MN-2016-0053
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-02 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Wabasha
County: Wabasha
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with submerged object
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The personal watercraft was being operated close to shore and went over a wing dam, tearing a hole in the bottom of the craft. The incident occurred about 1600 hours and was reported at 1913 hours. There were no injuries and both people on board were wearing life jackets.


BARDID: MN-2016-0054
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-09 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Big Marine
NearestCityorTown: Big Marine
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was towing a tube with three people on it. They hit the wake of another boat and the passengers on the tube fell off. One of the tubers twisted her arm, hurting her shoulder. All involved were wearing life jackets.


BARDID: MN-2016-0055
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-09 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:17:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Crystal
NearestCityorTown: Burnsville
County: Dakota
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was underway, cruising at about 20 mph (operator estimate). Watercraft #2 was underway towing a tube with two people on it. Watercraft #2 made a turn while out in front of Watercraft #1. As a result of the turn, the tube crossed directly into the path of Watercraft #1. The operator of Watercraft #1 reported turning his engine off to try and avoid the collision. Watercraft #1 then collided with the tube resulting in injury to one of the tubers, as well as damage to Watercraft #1. Both watercraft then went to the public beach where they met with Burnsville Fire. Burnsville Police responded as well to take the initial report. They then passed the information on to the Dakota County Sheriff's Office who sent the report to us.


BARDID: MN-2016-0056
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-17 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Clitherall
NearestCityorTown: Clitherall
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by propeller
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Two juveniles were being towed on a tube. They both fell off into the lake. While they were in the lake, Watercraft #1 struck one of them. The operator was unaware that he had struck the girl and continued on. The witness saw WC #1 stike the girl and was able to idenitify Operator #1 when he was located by the sheriff's office at the resort. The victim had been struck by the prop on her lower legs and was transported to the hospital. Drugs and alcohol were not a factor. All were wearing life jackets.


BARDID: MN-2016-0057
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-31 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:07:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Red Wing
County: Goodhue
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: -1
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with floating object
AccidentEvent2: Flooding/swamping
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was underway, northbound at approximately 4200 RPM. It was in the channel and heading toward Lock and Dam #3. It struck a floating tree in the river. 

Operator #1 didn't see the tree, but felt it when the watercraft hit it. The watercraft was still running and the operator shut off the engine. 

He then noticed water was entering the engine compartment. The watercraft was pulled onto shore at the Red Wing Wildlife League Beach. The watercraft's bilge system was unable to keep water out of the compartment. Watercraft #1 was towed from the scene. There were no injuries, and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2016-0058
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-30 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:43:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Wayzata
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Deputies were dispatched to a report of a man with uncontrolled bleeding from an arm injury that occurred on a boat. When deputies arrived they found a man lying on the dock. A woman had a towel wrapped around his left arm above the elbow. The man had a compound fracture to his humerus. There was a large laceration with this injury. The woman with the towel had a belt tied around the man's arm below his armpit. The deputy applied his tourniquet above the belt and got the bleeding under control. When the paramedics arrived, the deputy was able to leave the victim and take a report of what happened. -- The watercraft was approaching the dock. A passenger was seated near the bow on the port side. He had a rope and was attempting to reach for the dock as the boat was approaching. Another passenger said she believed he fell forward because he missed the cleat on the dock. It appeared as if his arm got pinned between the boat and the dock when this happened. The boat may have been coming into the dock too fast.


BARDID: MN-2016-0059
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2016-07-28 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Francis
NearestCityorTown: Elysian
County: Le Sueur
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with floating object
AccidentEvent2: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent3: Sinking
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was operating in the middle of the lake when it struck something floating in the water. It put a large hole in the bottom of the boat, causing it to sink. The boat was a total loss.


BARDID: MN-2016-0060
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-08-05 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:25:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Shamineau
NearestCityorTown: Motley
County: Morrison
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was pulling a tube with two occupants. The boat made a left turn and when the tube crossed the wake, it flipped. One occupant of tube hurt her back (she has history of back surgery and back fusion). The other occupant was uninjured. The boat operator said he was not going too fast, he figures between 15 to 20 MPH. Life jackets were worn by all. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2016-0061
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-08-06 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:45:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Pelican
NearestCityorTown: Orr
County: St Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Restricted vision
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #2 was stopped/floating in calm waters and occupants were fishing. Watercraft #1 was underway with bow riding high, causing obstructed vision. Watercraft #1 struck Watercraft #2. The occupants of WC #2 all jumped overboard just before the collision occurred. The operator of WC #2 was transported to the hospital for treatment of possible injuries as he was having a difficult time breathing after ingesting a large amount of water. Life jackets were not used by either watercraft. Alcohol was a factor in this accident.


BARDID: MN-2016-0062
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-08-13 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:40:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Prescott, WI
County: Dakota
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: -1
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Operator inexperience
AccidentCause3: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Engine
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #2 was drifting without power due to engine trouble. 

The operator of Watercraft #1 stated he was in the channel under the Prescott railroad bridge when he discovered Watercraft #2 was inoperable. 

At that time, he stated, he could not move to either side to avoid WC #2 because of other boat traffic. He attempted to turn out of the way and used the throttle to speed up. 

The swim platform on the side of WC #1 scraped the transom of WC #2. The operator of WC #2 told a similar story, however, she stated that she thought WC #1 should have been able to avoid them and that it was going too fast. 

Watercraft #1 was found in the area. Operator #1 stated he thought WC #2 waved him off because there was no damage after the collision. 

There were no injuries and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2016-0063
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-30 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:45:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Cross
NearestCityorTown: Crosslake
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fire/explosion (fuel)
AccidentCause1: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Fuel
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was cruising at approximately 25 MPH when the operator and passenger heard two "pops" come from the engine bay behind them. Smoke appeared from under the engine. The operator grabbed a fire extinguisher and sprayed the motor area. The operator used a second fire extinguisher from a nearby boat to spray the engine cover, which now had visible flames. 

The operator and passenger boarded a nearby pontoon boat to escape their watercraft. A personal watercraft with a "Jet Pack" arrived and hovered over the top of the engine cover to help extinguish the flames. The fire department arrived on scene, lifted the engine cover and extinguished the remainder of the fire. The fire department said a built-in fire suppression system was installed in the boat and the sensors had been triggered, but the system had malfunctioned. There were no injuries associated with this incident.


BARDID: MN-2016-0064
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-08-17 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:34:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Josephine
NearestCityorTown: Roseville
County: Ramsey
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was towing a tube with two people on it. Watercraft was going in circles when it hit a large wave on the starboard side, causing the watercraft to capsize. The three occupants in the watercraft were thrown into the lake. A nearby boat helped the boat occupants and the two people on the tube to shore. They also dragged the boat to shore. Two of the boat occupants received minor injuries. Life jackets were worn by all and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2016-0065
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-08-21 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:12:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Sylvia
NearestCityorTown: Melrose
County: Stearns
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Witnesses say they saw the watercraft in the air and saw one person thrown from the watercraft. The witnesses are unsure if the boat hit something to cause it to go into the air. The witnesses were on shore at the time of the incident. 

The witnesses got onto a pontoon boat and responded. When they arrived on scene, they located two children, ages 10 and 7, in the water. The children were wearing life jackets, and were not injured. The man who was thrown from the watercraft was not located. The boat had come to rest upside down in the water. The boat was towed from the lake to shore. County dive team members searched for the victim until night, and were unable to locate him. The following morning, the body was recovered at 0915 hours. The victim was not wearing a life jacket. The boat sustained minor damage. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2016-0066
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-08-07 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:14:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Excelsior
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was cruising at a slow speed, under 10 MPH. The operator saw a big wave coming and told his passengers to hold on. One passenger decided to put her hands in the air like a roller coaster. The watercraft hit the wave and the passenger hit her head on the wake board tower. The watercraft headed to the dock where the paramedics were waiting. She was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Life jackets were not being worn. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2016-0067
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-08-13 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:27:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Alexander
NearestCityorTown: Cushing
County: Morrison
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was pulling a tube with one person on it. The person on the tube fell off and hit the back of his head on the water, causing him to go unconscious. It is unknown what caused the victim to fall off the tube. All were wearing life jackets and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2016-0068
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-08-11 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:43:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Gervais
NearestCityorTown: Little Canada
County: Ramsey
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #2 was trolling on the east side of lake, approximately 100 feet from shore, when they were struck by Watercraft #1. Operator #1 estimated his speed to be 7 MPH. Watercraft #1 went over the top of Watercraft #2, causing injury to two occupants of WC #2. Operator #1 checked on their injuries and then towed WC #2 back to shore. Watercraft #2 was partially submerged. Medics were on scene and one occupant of WC #2 was transported to the hospital for injuries. Operator #1 had consumed one beer and field sobriety tests were performed and PBT was administered with a result of .013. Also in WC #2 was a 6-year-old male who was not injured. There was no damage associated with the incident.


BARDID: MN-2016-0069
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-08-21 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:04:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Maple
NearestCityorTown: Maple Lake
County: Wright
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft with two occupants was pulling a tube with three people on it. All three on the tube fell off, and one was unable to feel his legs. He was transported to the hospital with a possible neck injury. All were wearing life jackets. The operator stated that he wasn't going very fast, probably 15-20 MPH. The tube was rated for three riders.


BARDID: MN-2016-0070
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2016-08-25 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:45:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Fish Hook
NearestCityorTown: Park Rapids
County: Hubbard
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with submerged object
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was heading west on lake, planed out. Watercraft #2 was heading south-southeast on lake and was coming to a stop/slowing (planing down). Neither watercraft operator nor the passengers saw the other boat and they collided. Watercraft #1 port front struck Watercraft #2 starboard front. Watercraft #1 capsized, ejecting the three occupants. The two passengers were injured and the operator was missing in the water. His body was recovered the following day. There were no injuries to the occupants of WC #2. Life jackets were not worn by any parties involved. Alcohol was not a factor. There was some damage to WC #1 and WC #2 is a total loss.


BARDID: MN-2016-0072
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-08-27 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 09:25:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Silver Creek Reservoir
NearestCityorTown: Rochester
County: Olmsted
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: -1
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Hazardous waters
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Two men launched the canoe at about 6:15 a.m. They were drifting in the water fishing as they floated. It was cool outside so both men were wearing heavy clothing. There were two life jackets in the canoe, but neither was wearing one. At about 9:25 a.m., the canoe capsized about 30-40 yards from the boat launch. Both men were struggling to stay above water. The operator attempted to help get the passenger to shore by pulling on him and keeping him above water. Operator told passenger to take off his shoes, but didn't think the passenger heard or understood. The passenger ran out of energy and sank below the water surface. Operator attempted to locate him, but was unsuccessful. The sheriff's dive team, area fire departments and MN DNR conducted a search, ultimately discovering the deceased body of the victim at about 12:27 p.m.


BARDID: MN-2016-0073
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-23 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:17:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Ida
NearestCityorTown: Lake Park
County: Becker
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person departed vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Party group on 2-deck pontoon boat. The boat stopped by North Island, where people routinely swing from shore on rope into water. The victim had first jumped off the upper deck of the watercraft, feet first. The water depth at that point was 25-30 feet. The watercraft was not anchored and was drifting to the west, pushed by an easterly wind of 15-20 mph.

 The watercraft had drifted into shallow water (about 8 feet) as victim made a second descent off the boat, this time diving head first. The victim was able to come to the surface on her own, but complained of hitting her head on the bottom of the lake and having pain in her head, neck, shoulders and hands. The others on the watercraft got the victim on board, stabilized and called 911. They went to the public access to meet medical personnel. Life jackets were not used, and alcohol is thought to be a factor, although no BACs were obtained.


BARDID: MN-2016-0074
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-04 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:40:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Detroit
NearestCityorTown: Detroit Lakes
County: Becker
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Fair
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentEvent2: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator of Watercraft #2 fell off and the PWC kept moving forward, towards Watercraft #1. The two PWC hit head to head. There were no injuries, but there was damage to both watercraft. Life jackets were worn by both parties involved, and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2016-0075
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2016-07-17 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 00:06:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Detroit
NearestCityorTown: Detroit Lakes
County: Becker
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Poor
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Alcohol
AccidentCause3: Weather
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Boat ran ashore traveling at a high rate of speed and struck a tree. It is unknown if the occupants were ejected from the boat. Two were found in the boat and two were found outside the boat. They do not remember the crash. The watercraft was totaled. Life jackets were not worn. The weather and alcohol may have been a factor.


BARDID: MN-2016-0076
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-30 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:40:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Lower Cullen
NearestCityorTown: Nisswa
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 (a pontoon boat) was returning to the dock at the access when Watercraft #2 (a personal watercraft) crossed in front of it. 

Watercraft #2 was struck by the "toon" on the operator's side, ejecting Operator #2 into the water. Operator #2 was wearing a life jacket. 

Before Deputies arrived, the two operators had left the scene and went to Urgent Care because Operator #2 needed stitches. 

WC #2 was heavily damaged and WC #1 had minor scuffs and scrapes. When deputies met with the operators the following day, they both admitted to drinking, but claimed it was hours before the accident because they were the ones who had to drive the trucks home. No BAC was obtained.


BARDID: MN-2016-0077
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-08-20 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:45:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Tee
NearestCityorTown: Dent
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Victim was attempting to wake board behind Watercraft #1. After several failed attempts, he tried again and then started screaming that his knee was hurting. The operator and other passengers pulled him out of the water onto the boat and called for medical treatment. Although alcohol was detected for the operator, it does not appear to be the cause of the accident. A BAC was not taken. The victim was taken to the hospital to seek further medical treatment. The victim was wearing a life jacket. It is unknown if the people in the watercraft were wearing life jackets.


BARDID: MN-2016-0078
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-08-29 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 01:34:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Vermilion
NearestCityorTown: Tower
County: St Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Poor
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent2: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was making its way back to the boat landing in Everett Bay. Operator stated he was traveling about 15-20 MPH due to poor visibility from heavy rain and storms. WC #1 struck dock and boat lift where WC #2 was parked, causing damage to all. Operator #1 was arrested for BWI. Life jackets were not worn. There were no injuries associated with this incident.


BARDID: MN-2016-0079
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-09-01 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:10:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Green
NearestCityorTown: Spicer
County: Kandiyohi
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator of Watercraft #1 said he had just started to pull the victim, who was attempting to water ski. The operator said the victim didn't even get up all the way when his leg "snapped." He got the victim back in the boat and to the dock. As the victim was getting out of the boat, he fell, hitting his head on the dock. The victim lost consciousness for a brief moment. The victim had torn his hamstring on his left leg, which caused the fall. Life jackets were worn by both the skier and the operator. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2016-0080
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-08-14 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Excelsior
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: -1
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Congested waters
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Sometime between 6:00 and 8:00 pm on 8/14/16, Watercraft #1 was leaving the dock at a local restaurant and a witness on scene (the restaurant deckhand) said that it appeared to have hit Watercraft #2 when trying to leave the docks. 

Watercraft #1, at first, almost backed into another boat tied to the docks, then accelerated forward to avoid hitting the boat. 

However, this caused the bow of WC #1 to hit WC #2 on the starboard side. There was a golf ball sized hole in WC #2. There were also light scratches on the bow of WC #1, but the boat was old and they could have been caused by previous incidents. 

The deckhand had Operator #1 pull back to the slip while he went to get the manager. He couldn't find the manager, so Operator #1 left his name and phone number with the deckhand to give to the operator of WC #2. The incident was reported to the county sheriff's office on 08/16/16 by the owner of WC #2. Because the incident had taken place two days prior, it is unknown if alcohol was a factor, and whether life jackets were being worn.


BARDID: MN-2016-0081
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2016-08-24 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:41:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Gull
NearestCityorTown: Lake Shore
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fire/explosion (fuel)
AccidentCause1: Ignition of spilled fuel or vapor
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator of Watercraft #1 was cruising in the Gull Narrows. He had recently gassed up his watercraft and was traveling southbound in the channel area under the Co. 77 bridge when he heard an explosion. 

The explosion caused the hatch to blow off the engine compartment, the boat then started on fire. The operator called 911 and then jumped into the water where he was picked up by another watercraft and taken to shore. The operator was not injured in the incident. The fire department was called to the scene and was able to extinguish the fire. 

Watercraft #1 was removed from the water and towed. Due to the extent of damage to the hull of the watercraft, it was unable to be loaded onto a trailer and had to be loaded onto a flatbed tow truck. A life jacket was not being worn, and alcohol was not a factor. The boat was a total loss.


BARDID: MN-2016-0082
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-08-07 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:51:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Orono
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Personal Watercraft #2 was drifting, with an operator and a passenger. The operator of Personal Watercraft #1 stated he was driving up to his friends on PWC #2 when the sun got in his eyes and he quickly turned, striking PWC #2 on the starboard side.

 The witness statement from the passenger of PWC#2  stated the operator of PWC #1 "came in maybe trying to spray us and quickly turned near us and hit us on our right side." Both operators had been intentionally spraying each other earlier in the day. Two friends on a third PWC confirmed this. Operator of PWC #1 was not injured. He received a citation for careless/reckless operation. Operator of PWC #2 was taken to the medical center. Passenger of PWC #2 was treated at the scene and released. All were wearing life jackets.


BARDID: MN-2016-0083
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-09-21 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:40:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Starbuck
NearestCityorTown: Starbuck
County: Pope
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
AccidentCause2: Overloading
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft (air boat) was traveling approximately 20-25 MPH when the operator was unable to steer the boat. It hit the bank, rolling several times. All occupants were ejected, either onto the shore or in the cattails. Life jackets were probably not being worn. The deputy saw one life jacket on the craft after the incident, but since the boat rolled several times, it is unknown if there were others on board. All on board were taken to the hospital.


BARDID: MN-2016-0084
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-09-22 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Vermilion
NearestCityorTown: Tower
County: St Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was traveling SE on lake toward Swedetown Bay. Watercraft #2 was driving E-NE toward Ely Island. The two boats collided while underway. 

The accident was reported after the fact, and both parties had left the scene after exchanging information. Both operators stated they did not see the other boat until just before impact. 

The Deputy talked to Operator #1 by phone an hour and a half after the incident occurred, and met with him the following morning. Operator #1 stated he "looked over his right shoulder and there was WC #2. 

Operator #1 yanked on the motor and turned the boat, but they still collided. He said it was almost as though WC #2 had come up behind him and was overtaking him. WC #2 was not directly behind him and there was a bit of an angle when they collided." 

Deputy met with Operator #2 later that day after obtaining contact information from Operator #1. Operator #2 stated "he was heading to his cabin on Ely Island when he saw a pontoon boat about 1/4 mile ahead of him. It was crossing in front of him and as it was crossing there was another boat coming the other way. He saw these two boats come close to each other and thought they were almost going to crash. He saw them go near a rock pile and then turned around to look forward and saw another boat in front of him. He turned his wheel away from the other boat and next thing he knew he was being thrown from his seat. He thought the collision was more of a side swipe. If he had seen the other boat coming, he would have slowed down or stopped." 

There were no injuries associated with this incident. It is unknown if alcohol was a factor.


BARDID: MN-2016-0085
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-09-24 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 09:36:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Christopherson
NearestCityorTown: Elizabeth
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Rough
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Overloading
AccidentCause2: Weather
AccidentCause3: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The boat, carrying five occupants, was traveling across the lake during windy and wavy conditions. The occupants said that the boat began taking on water, from front to back. The boat then capsized, approximately 400 yards from shore. 

There were no life jackets in the boat and none were being worn. Two occupants began swimming to shore, and bystanders came to their aid. The operator of the boat was visibly intoxicated and was arrested for BWI, child endangerment and no life jackets. Two people were treated for hypothermia. There was no damage to the boat. The boat had an expired registration.


BARDID: MN-2016-0086
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:24:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Minnetrista
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Juvenile male had just finished water skiing and was climbing the swim ladder back into the drifting boat. He slipped on the ladder and broke his arm. He was transported to the hospital.


BARDID: MN-2016-0087
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-30 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 10:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Tonka Bay
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 had just finished fishing. Operator #1 said he started his boat and turned on his fishing electronics. He put his boat in gear to go to another fishing spot. As the boat was coming up on plane, the bow was up in the air. He said that he heard and felt a crunch, and that he knew he drove over something. W

C #1 had driven over the tail end of an occupied kayak (WC #2). The paddler of WC #2 said that WC #1 took off from a drifting position and struck the tail end of his kayak. No parties were injured in this incident. Operator #1 brought the kayak and its operator to Water Patrol headquarters in Spring Bay Park to make a report.


BARDID: MN-2016-0088
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-10-18 00:00:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Thief
NearestCityorTown: Middle River
County: Marshall
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Fair
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
AccidentCause2: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
Accident was not witnessed. It appears that the boat capsized (reason unknown) and the victim tried walking to shore. He was apparently able to collect some of his gear from the water and place it on top of the capsized boat. He was not wearing a life jacket.


BARDID: MN-2016-0089
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-10-23 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 10:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Bald Eagle
NearestCityorTown: White Bear Lake
County: Ramsey
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentEvent2: Flooding/swamping
AccidentCause1: Weather
AccidentCause2: Hazardous waters
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The occupants of Watercraft #1 had finished fishing and were heading back to the boat launch. The operator was wearing a life jacket and the passenger was not. WC #1 was coming around the outer reed bed when wind and waves caused it to flip up on it's side, dumping the occupants into the water. 

WC #1, running about 3/4 throttle, started circling them. The operator tried to swim at the speeding boat to stop it. The passenger was just trying to stay above water. Two people in another boat saw the passenger fall into the water and the boat circling him. They went to get him. On the way, they saw him sink under the waves two times. They got him in their boat, then got the operator in the boat. They brought the victims to the boat launch where they were met by fire and rescue and an ambulance. Watercraft #1 was recovered on the south side of the lake, south of the boat launch, with the motor knocked off the transom. The engine was flooded with water and unable to start. The victims were treated and released.


BARDID: MN-2016-0090
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-10-25 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:49:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Leech
NearestCityorTown: Federal Dam
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Fair
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
AccidentCause2: Improper loading
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
The male party was out setting a net off Sugar Point on Leech Lake. He was approximately 40 yards from shore when his canoe apparently capsized and he fell overboard. Searches continued until 11/1/16 when he was located on the east shore, approximately 200 yards south of the location of the capsizing. He was not wearing a life jacket and there were none on board. The watercraft did not have a valid Minnesota registration number.


BARDID: MN-2016-0091
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-10-09 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Fountain
NearestCityorTown: Albert Lea
County: Freeborn
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator was sailing the boat on the lake, north of the park, midway between the east and west shores. Due to inexperience operating the watercraft, the operator lost control of the craft which caused the boat to capsize. 

When the mast fell into the water, the end got stuck in the mud which would not allow the operator to flip the boat over. He was in the water and began to yell for help. A witness who was in a nearby kayak came to his assistance and got him to shore. 

He was tended to by paramedics for possible hypothermia. He was then transported to the emergency room as a precautionary measure. There was no damage to the boat. The victim was wearing an old style Type II life jacket which was not adequate to support his weight.


BARDID: MN-2016-0092
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-11-04 00:00:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Pine
NearestCityorTown: Hovland
County: Cook
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
AccidentCause2: Improper loading
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
On 11/7/16, the sheriff's office received a report of a missing/overdue fisherman at Pine Lake off the Arrowhead Trail. He was supposed to be back from his fishing trip on 11/6, but he never called anyone to say he was back and he missed work on 11/7 without calling in. The sheriff's office found the victim's vehicle at a campground and then found a partially sunken canoe and floating debris in the lake. An extensive search on water and land was started, with the assistance of Cook County SAR, St. Louis County SAR, US Border Patrol, US Forest Service and MN DNR. On 11/9/16 about 4:39 p.m., Cook County SAR and St. Louis County SAR recovered the body on the bottom of the lake in 80 feet of water. After talking with the SAR teams, it is believed that the victim never made it to his campsite. It appears he fell out of his canoe sometime on 11/4/16 and wasn't wearing a life jacket. The incident was unwitnessed.


BARDID: MN-2016-0093
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2016-11-19 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:29:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Spring
NearestCityorTown: Nininger Township
County: Dakota
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent2: Sinking
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Weather
AccidentCause2: Hazardous waters
AccidentCause3: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Engine
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Authorities received a report of a boat that sank in the lake while the occupant and his dog were hunting. The boat sank when the motor failed and the boat turned sideways in the high wind and waves came over the stern. The operator was wearing his life jacket and was floating in the water for 10-15 minutes. The dog swam to shore. A group of duck hunters were preparing to launch their boat and heard the victim yelling for help. One of the hunters called 911 from shore, while the other two hunters went out in their boat and were able to bring the victim back to shore. The victim was checked out by the ambulance crew for hypothermia. He refused transport to the hospital. The boat was a total loss.


BARDID: MN-2016-0094
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-11-26 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:00:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Waconia
NearestCityorTown: Waconia
County: Carver
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Unknown
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The victim was operating a stand-up paddle board on the lake, approximately 150 yards from shore in approximately 10 feet of water, while taking photographs. At about 1500 hours, a 911 call was made reporting the victim missing and an empty paddle board on the lake. Items belonging to the victim were located in the water under the now anchored paddle board. A Type III life jacket was attached to the top of the paddle board. A search of the area did not locate the victim. On 12/20/16, a body, later identified as the victim, was located. It was in about 12 feet of water a few hundred yards from where the paddle board was initially located. The paddle board had not been registered. The incident was unwitnessed.


BARDID: MN-2016-0095
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2016-06-18 00:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Big Pine
NearestCityorTown: Perham
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Both operators were riding personal watercraft on lake. Watercraft #2 was sitting in place when operator of Watercraft #1 was doing doughnuts and could not stop. WC #1 ran into the front left side of WC #2. There were no injuries and both were wearing life jackets. There was minor damage to WC #1 and WC #2 was totaled. The incident was reported to authorities on 6/20/16.

County Sheriff's office did not provide damage amounts to MN DNR until 1/6/2017.


BARDID: MN-2016-0096
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-07-27 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:12:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Big Cormorant
NearestCityorTown: Audubon
County: Becker
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
It was reported that the three boys had been tubing with a personal watercraft. The three were on the personal watercraft, pulling the empty tube. The tube flew up in the air and the victim, who was on the back seat of the personal watercraft, somehow ended up in the water. 

The rope from the tube became tangled around his leg. The personal watercraft was in motion and the rope tightened and caused severe damage to his leg. The victim was brought back to shore and transported by private vehicle to County Highway 11 and Blue Water Bay Road where they were met by EMS and first responders. He was then transported to a hospital in Detroit Lakes and then later air-flighted to Fargo, ND. The call originally came in to the Sheriff's Office as a medical.


BARDID: MN-2016-0097
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2016-08-06 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:11:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Gull
NearestCityorTown: Lake Shore
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Unknown
Wind: Unknown
Visibility: Unknown
AccidentEvent1: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Passenger injured her lower back when the boat she was riding in hit a wave. Authorities were called and met the boat at the public access. The victim was transported by ambulance to a flea market area and then air lifted to a hospital in the Twin Cities.


BARDID: MN-2017-0001
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-02-16 00:00:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Minnieska
County: Winona
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: environment- ice
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Unknown chain of events that led to the death of the victim. Only one watercraft and person were involved in this incident that started with a search and rescue for a missing kayaker. 

The sheriff's office received a report of a vehicle parked at the boat landing just before 9:00 pm. It was determined that the owner had gone out kayaking and had not returned. A search involving MN DNR Conservation officers, sheriff's deputies, the county dive/rescue team and a State Patrol helicopter was started. The man's phone was pinged four miles north of the access, so that is where the air boats were searching. 

After talking with the man's son, it was decided that the man would not have been that far away, so the search was moved closer to the access. A deputy found him on shore, near the access, at about 1:00 am, deceased. He was wearing a wet suit and an unzipped life jacket. There was ice on the river in some areas. The kayak was recovered on 3/18/17.


BARDID: MN-2017-0002
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-03-05 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:49:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Coon
NearestCityorTown: East Bethel
County: Anoka
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Unknown
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fall in vessel
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper loading
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
On 3/5/17 at 1409 hours the sheriff's office received a report that a snowmobile had gone through the ice on the lake and that the operator was in the water. The operator was able to self rescue and was off the lake when deputies arrived. The operator later went back on the lake, with a friend, in a 14 foot non-motorized boat. 

They broke out the ice and returned to where the snowmobile went through. While attempting to retrieve the snowmobile, the operator somehow fell overboard, causing the boat to capsize and the passenger to also fall in the water. 

Neither were wearing life jackets and there were none in the boat. A witness called 911. The passenger was able to swim to more shallow water and waited for deputies to pull him to safety. The operator attempted to hang on to the boat, but was unable to keep a grip on it. Deputies/Firefighters had arrived at 1655 hours and put on Mustang suits. They rescued the passenger at 1702 hours and then observed the operator go under the surface of the water. 

At 1709 hours, the operator was located in 6 to 7 feet of water after being under water for 7 minutes. He was removed and life saving efforts were performed. He was flown to the medical center and was later transferred to another hospital. He died at the hospital on 3/17/17. 

It is unknown if alcohol was involved. When deputies asked the passenger if the operator had been drinking, he said he didn't think so. He said once they got to the area where the snowmobile was, the operator was trying to hook onto the snowmobile with rope and hook when he suddenly stood up and may have tripped backwards, causing the boat to capsize.


BARDID: MN-2017-0003
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-04-06 00:00:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Bob
NearestCityorTown: Sawyer
County: Carlton
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person departed vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper loading
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Officer responded to a call regarding a canoe in the water with a dog inside it. Upon arrival, the canoe was full of water and the dog was still inside it. There were sandals floating near the canoe and the lone person at the cabin couldn't be located. The family hadn't heard from the victim for at least a day. A search was done of the immediate area and the cabin. Victim wasn't located. 

Specialized underwater equipment was deployed. In a short period of time, the victim was located in about 17 feet of water, very near the canoe that was still in the water. The victim was not wearing a life jacket, nor were there any in the canoe. There was some ice still on the water and partially surrounding the canoe. It appeared that the dog may have been in the water and the owner went to rescue the dog from the water and ice. There was no paddle in the canoe but there was a board that was possibly used to push the canoe and/or to break ice in front of the canoe. There was no registration on the canoe - unknown make, model and length. The incident was unwitnessed.

Still waiting for BAC results to see if alcohol was a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0004
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-03-26 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:50:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Inver Grove Heights
County: Dakota
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper loading
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Deputy responded to a report of a boat which had capsized on the river near the Rock Island Swing Bridge. The caller reported that three people were holding onto the overturned hull of the boat as it drifted down river. Prior to the deputy's arrival, the fire department was able to rescue the three occupants from the overturned boat and transport them to an awaiting ambulance. The deputy responded to the ambulance to make contact with the parties, while other sheriff's office personnel responded by boat to where the overturned watercraft had grounded on a sandbar near Grey Cloud Island.

The operator stated that they had departed in the boat from the marina at approximately 1730 hours and had stopped to eat in St. Paul Park. On the return trip, the operator had one passenger sitting next to him and the other passenger had gotten up and moved to the back of the boat while it was in motion, causing it to capsize. The operator estimated that they were traveling at approximately 15 miles per hour at the time they capsized.

All occupants of the boat were treated by medics and released at the scene. A dog which had been trapped inside an air pocket in the hull of the boat was rescued by fire department personnel and returned to the operator. The operator, who manages the marina, was able to recover the boat using a crane mounted on a work barge and bring it back to the marina. There was a small amount of damage to the watercraft. Life jackets were not worn. Alcohol may have been a factor in the incident, but a BAC for the operator was not obtained since the parties were released by the medics and the deputies didn't make contact with him right away.


BARDID: MN-2017-0005
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-04-08 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:31:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Silver
NearestCityorTown: North St Paul
County: Ramsey
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper loading
AccidentCause2: Sharp turn
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator was making a turn with the boat when it started to capsize. There was an unsecured, 75-pound bag of sand being used as ballast in the bow of the boat. When the turn was made, the bag of sand shifted and caused the boat to capsize. The boat flipped over and all three parties were thrown in the water. All three swam to shore. They were cold, and were warmed up on scene. Medics transported them to the boat launch. The boat was towed back to the boat launch. There was damage to the motor and also scrapes on the bottom as a result of being towed in.


BARDID: MN-2017-0006
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-05-06 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 09:35:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Pokegama
NearestCityorTown: Grand Rapids
County: Itasca
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by propeller
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator was slowing the boat from an on plane speed (approximately 30 mph/tiller motor) but the motor intermittently picked up speed. The operator was thrown from the watercraft. He was not wearing a life jacket and the lanyard was not being worn. The boat began to run in the circle of death motion with the throttle engaged. Witnesses observed this from another boat and responded to the whereabouts. Ultimately, the boat was running out of control and the operator was run over by the motor from the watercraft. His right forearm was cut by the propeller. Witnesses pulled the operator from the frigid water, treated him and were able to shut down the motor. The victim and his dog were brought back to the landing where law enforcement and EMS were summoned. The operator was transported by ambulance to the hospital. The motor on the boat was new to the operator.


BARDID: MN-2017-0007
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2017-04-23 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 02:51:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: St Croix
NearestCityorTown: Bayport
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentEvent2: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent3: Flooding/swamping
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft grounded and collided with trees on shore. It appears the operator attempted to make it back to the marina with the watercraft. The watercraft started sinking. The passenger made it back to shore, but the operator was not found. A search was started of the water and the shoreline, and continued throughout the day. He was later located at his residence. Alcohol was thought to be a factor in the incident, but the operator wasn't located until after the fact. Life jackets were used after the watercraft started sinking. There were no injuries. The watercraft is a total loss.


BARDID: MN-2017-0008
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-05-26 00:00:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Big Kandiyohi
NearestCityorTown: Blomkest
County: Kandiyohi
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Two fishermen reported locating a body floating on the lake. The fishermen flagged down a second boat to help. The male victim was hauled into the first boat and transported to the boat landing on the northeast corner of the lake. Lifesaving efforts were attempted and the victim was transported to a hospital in Willmar, where he was pronounced deceased. The victim's boat was located on the northwest side of the lake, off of 126th Ave SE. The boat's trolling motor on the front bow was still running and the boat was pushed into some small trees. Inside the boat were multiple empty beer cans, a wallet, phone and keys for the victim's vehicle. There were life jackets on the back of boat chairs. There was a broken fishing rod in the holder on the port side. There was also a second fishing rod hanging off the backside of the boat. The incident was unwitnessed. It is unknown what time the incident happened.  It is assumed the victim fell overboard due to alcohol use.


BARDID: MN-2017-0009
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-05-13 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:06:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Big Sandy
NearestCityorTown: McGregor
County: Aitkin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Restricted vision
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #2, with three people on board, was drifting while occupants were fishing. One passenger was sitting in the chair on the bow. The operator was fishing from the operator's seat on the starboard side. Another passenger, at the back of the boat on the port side, was reading when she heard and saw a boat approaching. 

She yelled and ducked down just before WC #1 hit their boat. She said the boat went over the top of theirs and landed on the other side. No one was ejected from the boat. All were wearing life jackets. The operator had just opened a beer and taken a couple sips. He received a cut when WC #1 went over the boat. He was attended to by first responders but declined transport by ambulance. The boat occupants later went to the hospital by private vehicle. The side of the boat was pushed in and heavily damaged.

Watercraft #1 had just left the landing and was heading south. The bow was in the air because the operator could not get the boat to plane. He had sun in his eyes. He heard someone yell but did not see WC #2 until just before he hit it. His boat went up and over WC #2 and landed on the other side. No one in WC #1 was injured and life jackets were not being worn. WC #1 helped tow WC #2 to shore. Operator #1 was issued a citation for careless operation. There were a few scrape marks on the bow and keel area.


BARDID: MN-2017-0010
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-04-08 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:23:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Medicine
NearestCityorTown: Plymouth
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentEvent2: Flooding/swamping
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft owner took his new boat out on the water for the first time. He launched at the French Park public access. He was travelling back to the access and ran aground on a shallow sandbar approximately 50 yards south of the access. The water depth was approximately 18 inches deep. The sandbar damaged the hull and direct drive of the boat, allowing water into the hull. There were no injuries. Life jackets were not worn.


BARDID: MN-2017-0011
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 21:40:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Ravenna Township
County: Dakota
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Fair
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentEvent2: Flooding/swamping
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator was driving upriver from the Red Wing area at approximately 50 miles per hour. The Operator was not familiar with that part of the river and got outside the navigational channel. At approximately mile marker 810, the operator hit a wing dam on the Minnesota side. After hitting the wing dam, the boat started to take on water. The occupants used the anchor on board, throwing it and pulling it in. By doing this, they made it to shallow enough water where only the back half of the boat sank to the bottom before being rescued. There were no injuries. Life jackets were not worn. There was some damage to the boat. The operator had a BAC of .23


BARDID: MN-2017-0012
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2017-05-28 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:25:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Inver Grove Heights
County: Dakota
WaterConditions: Unknown
StrongCurrent: -1
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fire/explosion (fuel)
AccidentEvent2: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent3: Sinking
AccidentCause1: Ignition of spilled fuel or vapor
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was fueling at the River Grove Marina fuel pier. Once they had fueled, the operator started the engine and shortly afterward, an explosion occurred within the hull of the boat. It broke the glass out of the windows. A fire started on the boat which the occupants unsuccessfully attempted to fight with a fire extinguisher. 

Everyone was able to exit the boat without injury and due to the intensity of the fire, they disconnected the boat from the fuel pier. The boat drifted down river to the Rock Island Swing Bridge where the current held it against one of the bridge supports for a few moments before it again drifted downriver. The fire department and a tugboat sprayed water on the boat until the fire was extinguished and the boat sank at approximate coordinates of N 44 49.886 by W 093 00.541, approximately 1.5 miles down river from the fuel pier. The boat was a total loss.


BARDID: MN-2017-0013
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:04:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Potato
NearestCityorTown: Park Rapids
County: Hubbard
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by propeller
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The victim was sunbathing on the back platform of the pontoon boat with another passenger. They started "horsing around" and the victim lost her balance and fell in the water. Her lower left leg hit the prop, causing a laceration. Life jackets were not being worn.


BARDID: MN-2017-0014
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-05-27 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Bass
NearestCityorTown: Breezy Point
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentEvent2: Person departed vessel
AccidentEvent3: Person struck by propeller
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
AccidentCause2: Other
OtherAccidentCause: passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator was driving watercraft with one passenger, near the dock at their residence on Bass Lake when the watercraft was accidentally put into gear causing the boat to move forward and the operator to fall out. Operator then tried to hold onto the watercraft to prevent it from driving any further. The passenger became frightened and jumped out of the watercraft. In doing so, the passenger's shorts were caught by the propeller of the watercraft motor, causing the passenger's leg to get cut. Power to the watercraft's engine was cut off due to the propeller being stopped by the passenger's shorts. Both individuals were wearing life jackets at the time of the accident.


BARDID: MN-2017-0015
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-05-15 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:45:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Sauk
NearestCityorTown: Sauk Centre
County: Stearns
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator was in the boat and ready to head out into the bay to go fishing. The boat was in the water, but still beached. The operator got a fishing lure stuck in his shirt and ended up falling. His head was partially under water when officers arrived, and most of his body was still in the boat. He sustained minor injuries to his back from the fall and was taken to the hospital. He refused a preliminary breath test. A life jacket was not being worn.


BARDID: MN-2017-0016
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-05-29 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:27:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Pearl
NearestCityorTown: Kimball
County: Stearns
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Overloading
AccidentCause2: Weather
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was on the SE side of the lake with five occupants fishing. There were strong wings coming from west/northwest. The operator said he was drifting on the lake when waves started to wash over the back of the watercraft. He said the back of the boat began to fill with water and began to sink. He tried to start the engine, but it wouldn't start. He said as the boat sank, they went to the front of the boat. 

He said eventually, they had to jump off as the boat turned over. They were in the water for about 5 minutes before being rescued by other fisherman. He said they had about five fishing poles and a tackle box in the boat. There was an adequate number of life jackets in the boat, but none of them were wearing them at the time of the incident. The watercraft was recovered the same day by a towing company. Personal property was not recovered. There were no injuries. There was some damage to the boat and motor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0017
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-02 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Spring Park
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was docked in its slip. Watercraft #2 was leaving its slip and struck Watercraft #1, causing damage to WC #1's motor hood and broke the steering cable. WC #2 lost a piece of moulding on the starboard side of the boat. There was no one on board WC #1 at the time of the incident. The incident was reported the following morning. It is unknown if alcohol was a factor or if life jackets were worn by the occupants of WC #2. There were no injuries associated with the incident.


BARDID: MN-2017-0018
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-04 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:13:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Sauk
NearestCityorTown: Sauk Centre
County: Stearns
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was travelling about 15 MPH headed back to landing. Watercraft #2 was drifting while occupants fished. Operator #1 did not see WC #2 in front of him. Both operators tried countering measures to avoid collision, with no success. WC #1 struck WC #2 at the outboard motor. Both watercraft were at the access and off the water by the time law enforcement arrived. Life jackets were accessible, but it's unknown if they were being worn at the time of the incident. Alcohol was not a factor. There were no injuries, and there was some damage to both watercraft.


BARDID: MN-2017-0019
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2017-06-06 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:06:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Prior
NearestCityorTown: Prior Lake
County: Scott
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fire/explosion (fuel)
AccidentCause1: Ignition of spilled fuel or vapor
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator of watercraft fueled at marina and drove through the No-Wake zone to the south. The operator attempted to throttle up when the engine backfired and started on fire. All five occupants on board were able to escape the burning boat. Two with minor burns were treated by ambulance at the scene and later went to the ER. The boat burned to the waterline and is a total loss. Life jackets were being worn.


BARDID: MN-2017-0020
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-10 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:42:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Pulaski
NearestCityorTown: Buffalo
County: Wright
WaterConditions: Rough
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Navigation rules violation
AccidentCause2: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 and Watercraft #2 were underway in a group together. The operator of WC #2 was coming around to meet up with WC #1 side by side. Operator #2 stated he misjudged the distance between the vessels and panicked when he got close. He said he let off the gas, losing steering control of the PWC as he hit WC #1 in the side above the waterline. WC #2 had little to no damage. No injuries were reported and everyone was wearing a life jacket. Operator #2 received a citation for careless operation.


BARDID: MN-2017-0021
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-11 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:46:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Trempealeau
County: Winona
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: -1
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Hazardous waters
AccidentCause2: Dam/lock
AccidentCause3: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was approaching the spillway by Lock and Dam #6. It got too close and started taking on water. The boat ended up perpendicular to the spillway and capsized. Both the operator and the passenger went into the water. The operator made it to shore but the passenger didn't. Life jackets were not being worn. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0022
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-15 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:13:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Jane
NearestCityorTown: Lake Elmo
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Hazardous waters
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator and two passengers were fishing on lake for approximately 2 hours when the canoe began taking on water. It eventually capsized, putting all three into the water. There were life jackets on board but only one passenger was wearing one. A good samaritan was able to pull the other passenger onto his boat, but was unable to reach the operator. Dive teams recovered the operator approximately 1 hour later, deceased. Alcohol was not a factor. The motor was running and the canoe was moving at the time of the incident.


BARDID: MN-2017-0023
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-16 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 22:41:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Buffalo
NearestCityorTown: Buffalo
County: Wright
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentEvent3: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #2 was sitting on the lake while occupants were watching the fireworks and just enjoying the evening. The navigation lights were on, and had been since sunset. The operator stated he had noted the watercraft with the flood lights earlier and they had been "flying around." He stated just before the collision, he saw lights coming in his general direction. As the lights got closer, he was yelling but the watercraft kept coming. He didn't have anywhere to go, as his watercraft was not underway at the time. The other watercraft turned at the last second before collision and struck the left side of his boat. The passenger in WC #2 bumped her head but did not seek medical attention. Operator #2 said he had been drinking, but deputy did not find any signs that he was intoxicated.

Watercraft #1 had been watching the fireworks and bow fishing. There were four passengers in addition to the operator. The operator stated they were headed back to the south landing to drop off one of the passengers who had to get home. He said they were traveling approximately 20-25 MPH with the flood lights going and he could only see blackness ahead of him. He stated suddenly there were lights in front of him and he turned to attempt to avoid a collision. He stated he was too close to avoid it. One of his passengers was in the bow of the boat and was thrown out. Operator #1 and another passenger attempted to throw life jackets to the person in the water. Operator was cited for careless operation. 

Deputies were launching their boat when the two watercraft came ashore. An ambulance responded to attend to the passenger that was thrown in the water, as he had hit his head. His mother took him to the hospital. Life jackets were not being worn in either watercraft.


BARDID: MN-2017-0024
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-08 00:00:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Nokay
NearestCityorTown: Brainerd
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Unknown
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
On 06/09/2017, the Sheriff's Office received reports of a missing person and also of an abandoned boat. The registered owner of the boat was the same as the missing person. Side scan sonar was used to search the lake on 06/09/17 and the early morning hours of 06/10/17. At approximately 0715 hours an object, later identified as the body of the missing person, was located in 32 feet of water. Divers recovered the body at 0920 hours.

Cell phone records indicate the victim was on the lake from approximately 0140 hours on 06/08/17 and the last signal was received from the lake at 1020 hours on 06/08/17. The phone was found in the pocket of the deceased. The victim was known to fish lakes alone at night. It is unknown what led to him going overboard. The victim was not wearing a life jacket.


BARDID: MN-2017-0025
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-08 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:15:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Long
NearestCityorTown: Elizabeth
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Unknown
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Victim went into water from a fishing boat he was operating. Reasons for entering the water are unknown. Both witnesses saw the boat circling and went to help the victim who was still in the water. He was pulled on board the witness's boat and CPR was started. He was taken to shore soon after and CPR was continued. He was transported to the hospital where he later passed away. He was not wearing a life jacket. State conservation officers were able to disable motor and boat that was still circling in the water.


BARDID: MN-2017-0026
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-10 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:38:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Shetek
NearestCityorTown: Slayton
County: Murray
WaterConditions: Rough
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: -1
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Storm
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Hazardous waters
AccidentCause2: Weather
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Two personal watercraft were being operated in rough water during 20-30 MPH winds and each had an operator and a passenger. Operator #2 said that he and his son (Operator #1) were driving back and forth splashing each other with a wake and riding the rough waves. Accident occurred when Operator #1 entered the travel path of WC #2 and suddenly stopped moving. T-bone style collision occurred where PWC #2 struck PWC #1.

Field investigation was conducted at the hospital while involved parties were being medically treated. Life jackets were being worn by all parties. The accident occurred out on the lake, but the involved subjects came ashore behind a lake home and the ambulance responded to that location.


BARDID: MN-2017-0027
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-05-27 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:31:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Shetek
NearestCityorTown: Currie
County: Murray
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator of Watercraft #1 was paddling on the north end of the lake. Watercraft #2 was cruising out of Armstrong Slough and to the north end of the lake. Watercraft #2 had two occupants, the operator and a passenger who was sitting in the front but facing back to the operator. Watercraft #2 collided with Watercraft #1. Both occupants aboard Watercraft #2 stated they did not see WC #1 until they came into contact with it. 

Operator #1 was thrown from the kayak and into the water. Operator #1 sustained a minor injury to the head. No immediate medical attention was requested by any parties involved. Deputy was informed on 6/22/17 that Operator #1 did later seek medical attention, no further injuries were reported and she was released. There was no damage to either watercraft. Alcohol was not a factor. Operator #1 was wearing a life jacket. Occupants of WC #2 were not wearing life jackets but they were on board and were available. Because WC #1 is non-motorized and is less than 10 feet long, it is not registered.


BARDID: MN-2017-0028
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-16 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 23:27:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Orono
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
AccidentCause2: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was traveling between Huntington Point and Big Island in Lower Lake North when it hit a wake. The passenger was in the cuddy at the time and fell over and hit her head on some cabinet doors. She had a laceration and was in and out of consciousness. She was transported to the hospital. Both parties were impaired from alcohol. Operator was arrested for BWI. Life jackets were not being worn.


BARDID: MN-2017-0029
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-16 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:15:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Red Wing
County: Goodhue
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was approaching slip to dock. Operator of WC #1 said that she lost the right engine and with the wind, she lost control of the boat when docking. WC #1 collided with WC #2, which was already docked. A bystander, who also has a boat docked at the marina was standing on the dock and saw that Operator #1 had lost control and was going to collide with WC #2 and he attempted to push the boat away. His right hand was caught between both boats, breaking his right pinky finger and also causing a laceration to the finger. Operator #1 told the deputy that she is learning to operate the boat and does not have much experience operating this type of boat. There was no damage to WC #1 and a small amount of damage to WC #2. A dock wheel was also torn off the slip. There was no one on board WC #2 at the time of the incident.


BARDID: MN-2017-0030
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2017-05-15 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:47:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Leech
NearestCityorTown: Walker
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Flooding/swamping
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator #1 stated that he had been out fishing near Pine Point approximately 100 yards away from Watercraft #2. He stated he heard WC #2 fire up and begin to accelerate. He observed the front end of the boat begin to rise as it made its way toward him. Operator #1 quickly made his way to his driving console in an attempt to move out of the way, but was unable to. WC #2 struck WC #1 in the rear left corner causing WC #1 to spin. The motor on WC #1 was also struck and would no longer run. WC #1 began taking on water and had to be pumped out several times while being towed to shore.

Operator #2 stated that he did not see WC #1 until he had already begun to plane out and by that time it was already too late and he struck the boat. WC #2 had a 175 hp motor and an 8 hp motor.

Life jackets were not being worn in either boat. There were no injuries. WC #2 had no damage, and WC #1 was totaled. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0031
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-01 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:03:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Scandinavian
NearestCityorTown: Glenwood
County: Pope
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Boat was pulling a 10-year-old on a tube. The tube hit a wave and "got air." The tow rope wrapped around the child's arm causing a laceration and bone exposure. All parties were wearing life jackets and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0032
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-02 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnewaska
NearestCityorTown: Glenwood
County: Pope
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The personal watercraft was cruising across the lake at about 20-25 MPH. It hit a wake and the passenger fell off. Then the operator fell off. They both swam back to the PWC and continued operating. Later in the day, the passenger could not remember the accident, her name and other information. She was taken by ambulance to the hospital. It is thought she hit her head when she fell off the PWC. Life jackets were being worn at the time of the incident. It is not known what time the incident actually occurred, but it was thought to be sometime between 1830-2030 hours. Authorities were called at 2203.


BARDID: MN-2017-0033
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-04 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Sturgeon
NearestCityorTown: Red Wing
County: Goodhue
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Weather
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was tied off to dock at marina. Owner #1 was inside WC #1 watching television when he felt WC #1 get hit. Owner #1 went up top on WC #1 and saw Watercraft #2 was on the port side of WC #1. Another vessel (Boardwalk) was helping WC #2 put out bumpers. Owner #1 noticed a small boat assisting WC #2 with rope, attempting to pull WC #2 away from the dock. Owner #1 didn't know who or have any registration for the small boat helping. WC #2 was able to clear the dock and able to proceed. Owner #1 didn't know of any damage until a boater passing by advised Owner #1 that they must have gotten hit really hard, leaving a nice scrape. Owner #1 believed that wind was the factor for the collision.

Watercraft #2 was leaving the dock at the marina. Operator #2 stated he was being pulled away from the dock with the help of a small boat, unknown registration or who they were. Operator #2 stated they had bumpers out on WC #2 and one person was outside on WC #2 wearing a Type III life jacket. Operator #2 stated WC #2 was in neutral while being pulled out when the wind caught the bow of WC #2, pushing it into WC #1. WC #2 then had the help of a second rope from the small boat and was able to get away from the dock and proceed. Operator #2 advised he didn't realize any damage was done to either boat. Operator #2 checked WC #2 and noticed no damage.

Witness #1 advised he was in the watercraft Boardwalk, tied directly to the marina dock. WC #2 was tied off on the port side to Witness #1's watercraft. Witness #1 saw WC #2 tried to pull off when a gust of wind caught and pushed WC #2 into WC #1. Another boat was attempting to help pull them from the dock, but wasn't sure of who or what the registration on the boat was. Witness #1 stated the wind was terrible that day and was the reason for the incident.


BARDID: MN-2017-0034
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-05 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:28:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Eagle
NearestCityorTown: Willmar
County: Kandiyohi
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Flooding/swamping
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was free floating on the lake. Contacted friend (Operator #2) to come out to them. Watercraft #2 was driven out near WC #1. Occupants of WC #1 stated Operator #2 was moving at a speed faster than was safe as he approached WC #1. 

WC #2, although equipped with brake and reverse, was unable to stop in time and collided with the starboard aft of WC #1. This resulted in the hull of WC #1 being punctured through and taking on water. 

The stern of WC #2 received minimal damage. Operator #2 stated he activated brake and then believed there was an equipment failure and he had no propulsion. Deputy had him duplicate the scenario which showed WC #2 was operating appropriately. Operator #2 admitted to going 5 MPH, but damage and witnesses state it appeared to be a greater speed. Operator #2 was cited for careless operation. There were no injuries. Operator #2 was wearing a life jacket. Occupants of WC #1 did not have life jackets on. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0035
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-04 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 09:45:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Minnetonka
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
On 6/6/17, Deputy received a report regarding a watercraft accident that occurred on 6/4/17 at about 9:45 a.m. The reporting party (victim) was helping Operator #1 launch her personal watercraft from its trailer at the boat landing. Operator #1 was sitting on the PWC and the victim was standing on the front of the trailer in the area of the trailer hitch. The trailer was backed into the water and attached to the tow vehicle. As the PWC floated off the trailer, the operator started it's motor. The victim then stated that the PWC, operated by #1, drove toward him and the trailer he was standing on. He told operator not to hit him. He added that the operator appeared to be having trouble controlling the PWC, and she drove the PWC into him while he was standing on the trailer. 

He sustained injuries and his brother, who was also at the landing, drove him to the hospital for medical care. The victim expressed concern about the operator not taking responsibility for the accident. He immediately confronted her, and she stated "don't tell me how to drive my jet ski." The deputy attempted to contact the PWC operator on 6/13/17. He left a voice mail message. She returned his call on 6/14 and said she didn't have time to talk to him about the incident until the following week. She called him again on 7/5/17 and stated she had been operating the PWC. She was unsure of operating the PWC with it's motor running close to the trailer. She said it was a slow speed accident. She said she had not been drinking. It is unknown whether she was wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident. There was no damage to the PWC.


BARDID: MN-2017-0036
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-10 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:08:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Birch
NearestCityorTown: Babbitt
County: St Louis
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: -1
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Congested waters
AccidentCause2: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Both vessels were participating in a fishing contest on the lake. The contest utilized a "shotgun start" where all vessels leave at once for their particular fishing location. 

Watercraft #1 started with several other boats and the high angle of his bow while accelerating prevented him from seeing Watercraft #2 which was stationary. Operator #1 also states that boats on either side of him were also accelerating and causing large wakes, which further distracted him from keeping forward lookout. 

Bow section of WC #1 collided with stern of #2. Impact caused passenger/victim in WC #2 to fall onto a boat cooler causing a back injury. Both boats returned to shore. No use of alcohol/controlled substance noted by officers on scene. Victim was transported by personal vehicle to hospital for treatment. Life jackets were worn by occupants of WC #1 but not by occupants of WC #2.


BARDID: MN-2017-0037
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-01 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:15:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Koronis
NearestCityorTown: Paynesville
County: Stearns
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
AccidentCause2: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator #1 drove PWC close to dock and floating swim platform, which had children on it. The operator wanted to spray the children with water from the PWC. She got close to the platform and accelerated rapidly which resulted in loss of control. 

She first struck a lower unit of a pontoon on a lift, then struck a neighboring lift and dock before being thrown from the PWC. The PWC ended up beached on shore. 

Damages to pontoon boat, a dock, a lift and the PWC. The operator suffered minor injuries. She was transported to the hospital by ambulance. Operator was wearing a life jacket and alcohol was not a factor. In lieu of a citation, deputy had operator complete a boating safety course.  For the purposes of this report, the pontoon will not have a vessel record since it was in a lift


BARDID: MN-2017-0038
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-02 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:42:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Marion
NearestCityorTown: Dent
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was pulling two tubes with single riders. Watercraft #2 hit WC #1 on its left side. 

Operator #2 was transported by private vehicle to a local health center and then was Air Med transported to a hospital in Fargo. WC #1 received some damage to left side of boat. WC #2 received extensive damage to right side of watercraft. Life jackets were being worn by all parties involved. 

Operator #1 had not been drinking. Unknown if Operator #2 had been.


BARDID: MN-2017-0039
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-08 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 10:59:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: West McDonald
NearestCityorTown: Dent
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Restricted vision
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 had come around the point and was drifting while occupants fished. Operator #1 saw another boat coming from the other direction running wide open. Operator #1 yelled at the other boat to try to get their attention, but Operator #2 could not see him due to three passengers sitting in WC #2. Operator #1 stated that WC #2 hit the left side of WC #1. One passenger in the front of WC #1 was able to jump out of the boat before the collision, but the bow of WC #2 hit Operator #1 and also the passenger sitting in the middle of WC #1, causing injury to both. 

Information was exchanged. Operator #1 stated that after the collision, Operator #2 seemed to be upset with the three passengers from WC #2 for not looking out for other boats, as he could not see from the rear of the boat. A passing boat was able to assist the occupants of WC #1 to get them home, where they called authorities. Emergency medical services were declined, saying they would go to the hospital by private vehicle.

While the deputies were at the house, two witnesses approached, both juveniles. They had been fishing in another boat when they noticed a stationary boat with three occupants fishing. They also saw another boat with four occupants go by them. The three passengers in that boat were facing the operator at the back of the boat. Soon the witnesses heard a man yelling but could not hear what he was saying. They looked over and saw WC #2 collide with WC #1. They described it as a "direct T-bone." When asked how fast WC #2 was going, they were unsure. Then one witness said 20 MPH, maybe 25 or 30. They did state WC #1 was stationary and WC #2 did not make an attempt to turn to avoid the collision.

While deputies were taking photos of WC #1, dispatch received a call from Operator #2, asking if he could talk to the deputies. They went to Operator #2's house. WC #2 had a few small scratches, but no structural damage. Operator #2 said that they had problems with the motor in the past, and when they had it out on the lake it was acting up and the throttle had locked up so he was taking it home. He stated he did not see WC #1 until it was too late. While talking with Operator #2, the father of Operator #2 called and told the deputies that they have had problems with the motor in the past. He said this is the first time the throttle had gotten stuck, if that's what mechanically happened.

Deputies followed up with Operator #1 and were told that the motor and steering on WC #2 seemed to work just fine after the accident because they motored around at the scene and motored back to shore just fine. All three occupants of WC #1 were injured. Life jackets were being worn by all occupants in both watercraft. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0040
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-02 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:56:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Spring Park
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: -1
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Two watercraft pulled up to the Water Patrol Headquarters dock and said they had been in an accident under the Black Lake Bridge. Deputies spoke to each operator individually. Operator #2 stated he had been traveling westbound under the Black Lake Bridge. He said approximately two-thirds of his watercraft had passed under the bridge and he was entering Black Lake. He said while he was in the channel, another watercraft going east from Black Lake into Spring Park Bay struck his boat. When asked how the watercraft struck each other, Operator #2 stated the port stern of both watercraft hit while they were both navigating the channel. There were scratches to the port side of WC #2 near the stern. When asked if he had been drinking, he said he had a few beers. Officer performed field sobriety tests and found no sign of impairment.

Officers asked Operator #1 how the accident occurred. She said, "He had such a big boat I did not think I had to wait for his boat to exit the channel before I entered." She was asked again how the accident happened and she said they were both in the channel and their boats rubbed together. Watercraft #1 had a black rub line on the port side stern. Operator #1 was arrested for BWI.

There were no injuries associated with this incident. Life jackets were not being worn in either watercraft.


BARDID: MN-2017-0041
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-09 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:29:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Clear
NearestCityorTown: Forest Lake
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was pulling two tubes, one with one occupant (inside tube) and one with two occupants (outside tube). Operator #1 thought he was about 150 feet off shore. He was pulling the tubes past his dock. The inside tube and occupant made contact with the neighboring dock to the west of his. Tuber received injury to his leg. All were wearing life jackets. There was a rear facing observer in the boat. Operator received citation for reckless operation.


BARDID: MN-2017-0042
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-25 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 10:57:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Pelican
NearestCityorTown: Pelican Rapids
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Weather
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The sailboat was just being prepped to start sailing. They turned into the wind and the sail caught the wind. The main keel of the boat was not down and a big gust of wind tipped it over. Neither occupant was wearing a life jacket. They both hung on to the boat. There were no injuries and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0043
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-04 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 22:22:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Budd
NearestCityorTown: Fairmont
County: Martin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Fair
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #2 was cruising at low speed after just clearing the channel between Sisseton and Budd Lakes. Watercraft #1 was on the same course and accelerated after clearing the channel. Operator #1 stated he did not see WC #2 in front of him until he hit it. He struck the outboard motor of WC #2, damaging the motor and transom. WC #1 continued forward and damaged the railing and the driver's seat of WC #2. Officers spoke to Operator #2 that night. Operator #1 was not located until the following day, so it is unknown if alcohol was a factor. There were no injuries and it is unknown if life jackets were being worn. Operator #1 received citation for careless operation.


BARDID: MN-2017-0044
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-04 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:46:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Marion
NearestCityorTown: Lakeville
County: Dakota
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Unknown
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentCause1: Improper loading
AccidentCause2: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was towing a wake boarder. The water ballast in the boat was too full, and the rear of the boat was too low in the water. The wake boarder fell and when the operator turned the boat to recover the wake boarder, a wake from another boat washed over the transom of Watercraft #1 causing it to flood and sink. All four occupants were able to put on life jackets and there were no injuries. Operator #1 stated he had purchased the boat from another man approximately a year ago, but had not transferred the registration into his name yet. The boat was recovered on 7/7/17.


BARDID: MN-2017-0045
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-08 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:31:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: St Croix
NearestCityorTown: Oak Park Heights
County: Washinton
WaterConditions: Rough
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: -1
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
AccidentCause2: Congested waters
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was southbound on the river south of the Highway 36 Bridge when it hit a series of large waves, causing the people in the boat to be tossed around. One victim suffered a laceration above her eye when her head hit a bow cover support anchor. She was transported to the hospital by ambulance. The second victim received an injury to his elbow but refused treatment beyond the first aid given at the scene. There was heavy boat traffic on the river that day. Life jackets were not being worn at the time of the incident.


BARDID: MN-2017-0046
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-08 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:20:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: South St Paul
County: Dakota
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with submerged object
AccidentEvent2: Flooding/swamping
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was traveling at a safe speed on the river and hit a submerged log or branch. The watercraft began to take on water. The wife called 911. A good samaritan took the wife off the boat. The operator put the boat full throttle and made his way for the public launch at South St Paul. A deputy sheriff met him there and helped secure the boat to the trailer. The boat had water, but did not seem to be sinking. There was a lower unit crack near the transom. Life jackets were being worn and alcohol was not a factor. Washington County Sheriff's Office received the call and gave an assist to the Dakota County Sheriff's Office. Washington Co. SO completed the report.


BARDID: MN-2017-0047
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-16 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:27:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Tonka Bay
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Operator inattention
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was pulling out of the docks at the marina. WC #1 turned around and the stern collided with the swim platform on the stern of Watercraft #2. Watercraft #2 was four-pointed in the slip and unoccupied. An employee at the marina saw the incident occur. He called Operator #1 over and informed him that he hit another boat. Operator #1 acknowledged that he hit another boat but he did not see any damage and then drove off. The marina employee then contacted the owner of WC #2 and advised him of damage to his watercraft. The marina employee also called authorities and gave them the registration number and a description of the boat and the operator. Life jackets were not being worn and there were no injuries. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0048
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-22 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 23:16:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Dinham
NearestCityorTown: Ellsburg Township/Melrude
County: St Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Fair
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was operating on the lake when it struck a boat lift and dock in front of the owner/operator's property. One passenger was thrown from the boat and was missing in the water for several minutes. Other occupants of the boat and some neighbors located her in the water and she was brought to shore. CPR was performed and she was transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced deceased. Her husband (a passenger in the boat) had unspecified injuries and rode with his wife to the emergency room. The operator was transported to the hospital with a laceration on his forehead. The fourth occupant received a bruise and a laceration, but did not have medical attention. Life jackets were not being worn, and alcohol was a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0049
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-05 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:45:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Spring Park
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was tied to the dock and unoccupied. Watercraft #2 was leaving the dock when it struck WC #1. The operator of WC #2 had turned the boat to the port side, which swung the stern side of her boat towards WC #1. The swim platform on WC #2 hit WC #1's stern swim platform, causing a crack in the fiberglass hull of WC #1. There were no injuries and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0050
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-13 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:34:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Crane
NearestCityorTown: Crane Lake
County: St Louis
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was northbound through King Williams Narrows from Crane Lake into Sand Point Lake. Watercraft #2 was southbound coming from Sand Point Lake. WC #2 was at an idle speed in forward motion. Operator of WC #2 observed a group of boats coming north through the narrows into Sand Point Lake and was waiting for them to come through. All the boats veered to the right coming out of the narrows except for the last boat (WC #1). 

WC #1 continued straight and came directly towards WC #2. WC #1 struck WC #2 bow port side for both boats. Operator #1 stated he had come out of the narrows and did not see WC #2. He stated he did not veer right and was unable to maneuver once he saw WC #2. Operator #1 was unsure of his speed but estimated half throttle. Operator #1 made comment that he was distracted with all the people in the boat. 

There were a total of 10 people in WC #1, including the operator, weighing approximately 1545 lbs. altogether. WC #1 was rated for 8 persons or 1080 lbs. Everyone in WC #1 was wearing their life jacket. No one in WC #2 was wearing a life jacket, but they were available in the boat. Alcohol was not a factor. Watercraft #1 was a Boy Scout Troop that was with the other boats going north through the narrows. The operator of WC #1 was cited for operating an overloaded watercraft. Damage was moderate to both boats.


BARDID: MN-2017-0051
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-14 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Forest
NearestCityorTown: Forest Lake
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Victim was a passenger on the back of PWC. She turned to wave at someone and let go of operator. She fell backwards into the water. The PWC was under power at the time and the water jet hit the passenger in the genital area, causing injury. She was taken by another boat to shore where EMTs were waiting to transport her. Life jackets were being worn and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0052
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-06-25 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 00:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Pokegama
NearestCityorTown: Cohasset
County: Itasca
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Poor
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Deputy received an e-mail from another officer who stated a cross report was passed on to him requesting an investigation of a boat accident that had taken place in the early morning hours on 6/25/17. A watercraft with an operator and a passenger had "beached itself." A deputy did a welfare check on the passenger's children to see if they had been on the watercraft. It was later confirmed by the babysitter that the children were in her care. Another deputy had talked to the operator, who stated he was driving (and not drinking) with one passenger and was coming back from "The Bash" in the City of Cohasset. It was told the operator was following his trail on his phone app (because of the fog at 0030 hours) and drove the watercraft on shore by accident. He stated he didn't report the accident to law enforcement. There were no apparent injuries and life jackets were not being worn. There was damage to the boat. Unknown if alcohol was a factor since it was not reported right away. Operator was cited for careless operation.


BARDID: MN-2017-0053
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-19 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:41:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Rice
NearestCityorTown: Brainerd
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was pulling two tubes with one person on each tube. The tubes collided and sent the passengers of the tubes flying off. One of the tubers told the others that her back felt weird. They treated the injury like a spinal injury by back boarding in the water and loading her into a second boat. She was brought back to shore to wait for EMS. She was transported to the hospital. Life jackets were being worn by all. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0054
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-19 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:31:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Little McDonald
NearestCityorTown: Perham
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Fall in vessel
AccidentEvent3: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #2 was trolling slowly towards the west. Watercraft #1 was traveling east at 1/2 throttle and collided with WC #2. The occupants of WC #2 jumped into the water just before impact. Both boats were able to return to North public access. Operator #1 stated it was his fault. Operator #1 was transported to the hospital by family. Operator #2 had cuts and bruises on his arm. Both watercraft received damage. Life jackets were being worn by some in WC #1. Alcohol was not a factor. Operator #1 was cited for careless operation.


BARDID: MN-2017-0055
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-04 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:53:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Spring Park
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentCause1: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Engine
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was passing through Coffee Channel when it lost power to one engine and operator had trouble steering. The watercraft ended up sideways in the channel and the anchor caught on the iron fence of the property owner. While the operator was correcting his watercraft, damage was done to the fence. The operator was able to correct his watercraft and travel to his dock. He did not report any damage to his craft. There were no injuries. Life jackets were not being worn, and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0056
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-15 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:54:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Orono
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator of Watercraft #1 stated that they were cruising around Maxwell Bay when they hit a large wake. A passenger was standing in the bow of the boat when they hit the wake, which caused her to fall. She felt a strong pain in her lower back and didn't want to move. They went to the marine docks and called 911. She was transported by ambulance to the hospital. Life jackets were not being worn, and alcohol was not a factor. There were no other injuries.


BARDID: MN-2017-0057
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-23 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:07:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Rush
NearestCityorTown: Richville
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Restricted vision
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was at the launch area waiting for the trailer. Operator took the boat for a quick ride while waiting. Watercraft #2 was anchored and fishing in the reeds. Operator #1 wasn't able to see WC #2 because WC #1 was in an elevated position before coming to a planing position. WC #1 collided with WC #2. Both boats returned to the public access and called for assistance. There was damage to both boats. There were no injuries and alcohol was not a factor. Life jackets were being worn in WC #2, but not in WC #1. Operator #1 was cited for careless operation.


BARDID: MN-2017-0058
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-19 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Lake of the Woods
NearestCityorTown: Angle Inlet
County: Lake of the Woods
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Restricted vision
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was headed east out of Magnussen's Gap when it collided with Watercraft #2. Operator #1 stated he went hard port when he saw Watercraft #2, which was headed west into Magnussen's Gap. Operator #2 stated he veered hard starboard when he saw WC #1 suddenly appear in the Gap. Both operators agreed that visibility was limited by tall weeds, making it virtually impossible for them to see the oncoming boat. There was extensive damage to WC #2 and some damage to WC #1. There were no injuries. Some life jackets were used in WC #1 but not used in WC #2. It is unknown if alcohol was a factor, since the deputy didn't talk to the parties involved right after the incident. Watercraft #2 is registered in Ontario, Canada.


BARDID: MN-2017-0059
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-27 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:01:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: French
NearestCityorTown: Annandale
County: Wright
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 and #2 were beginning a fishing league. At the start, both boats raced out to their location. Both operator's believed they were travelling parallel to each other. When WC #1 and #2 came into close quarters with each other, both operators attempted to avoid a collision and attempted to steer away from each other. At that time both boats collided in the rear causing damage. No injuries were reported. Life jackets were not being worn and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0060
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-29 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 01:29:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Crane
NearestCityorTown: Crane Lake
County: St Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Fair
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent2: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
AccidentCause3: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft had left Handberg Marine for Sand Point Lake. They crossed the bay directly to the east towards Nelson's Resort. There was a light fog and the operator was complaining of the dash lights affecting his vision. The operator had the boat at full throttle. 

The watercraft came too close to the point and struck a large rock. The operator attempted to cut the power at the last minute and the front passenger attempted to reach over and turn the steering wheel. No one was wearing a life jacket at the time. 

The operator broke the steering wheel during the collision. He was able to drive across the bay back to Handberg Marine. The two passengers had significant injuries. The operator fled the scene after first responders arrived on scene. The operator was later located sleeping in his other boat. All parties were transported to the hospital by ambulance. The operator refused to admit to being behind the wheel. The passengers gave full statements and witnesses put him behind the wheel. There was damage to the watercraft. Alcohol was a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0061
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-05-31 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:00:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Orono
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Unknown
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
Authorities received a report of a sailboat washed up on shore. A deputy located the boat, which was unoccupied. When the boat was inspected, there was no sign of injury. The jib and main sails were hoisted. The keel was resting on the lake's bottom. The boat had a small outboard motor on a lift system. The lift system was about 1/2 up from the lower setting. The fuel tank was about half full and the fuel tank's vent cap was open. The motor's chock was set in/off and the throttle was set at the start/restart setting. The gear selector was in neutral. The deputy asked the sheriff's office dispatch to contact the boat's owner by phone. There was no answer. They contacted the police department in the city of his residence to contact his home. The boat owner was not there but they talked to his wife who said her husband should be at the lake on his sail boat. 

The deputy contacted the local marina and the dock crew stated the boat's owner "had taken the boat out about two hours ago." A search was started of the lake and the shoreline using a helicopter and also by boat using side scan sonar. The lake had a lot of heavy weed growth. Due to sunset, the search was concluded at 2200 hrs. It was started again the following day (6/1/17). At 1200 hrs, they found a hat on the lake bottom that matched the wife's description of the hat her husband wore. They focused their search in that area. At 1430 hrs, they spotted what appeared to be a body on the lake bed. The body was in eight feet of water and there was moderate weed growth around him. They recovered the body at about 1550. There were no obvious signs of trauma.

The victim was not wearing a life jacket. Alcohol was not a factor. There was no damage to the watercraft. The incident was unwitnessed so it is unknown what caused him to fall overboard. He did have some health problems. It is also unknown what time the incident occurred but it was between 1130 and 1336 hours.


BARDID: MN-2017-0062
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-16 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 10:20:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Spring Park
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was docked at the gas pump at Rockvam Boat Rentals when it was struck by Watercraft #2, a rental boat that was leaving the dock area. WC #1 sustained some damage. There was no damage to WC #2. Life jackets were not being worn. There were no injuries. The incident occurred at 1020 hours and was reported to authorities at 1455 hours. It is unknown if alcohol was a factor. It is unknown how many people were on board WC #2 at the time of the incident.


BARDID: MN-2017-0063
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-16 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:19:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Deephaven
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was pulling a tube with three occupants. The tube hit a large wave throwing one tuber into the water. A second tuber was launched into the air and landed head first into the third tubers back. All three tubers were wearing life jackets at the time of the accident. The third tuber was told not to move and was towed to shore for EMS. He was transported to the hospital where he was treated and released. The second tuber was later also taken to the hospital where he was admitted for observation.


BARDID: MN-2017-0064
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-27 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:10:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Starry
NearestCityorTown: Emily
County: Aitkin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by propeller
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was pulling a tube. Operator hit throttle to knock the tuber off, and ran over another person in the water who had fallen off the tube, causing injury from the propeller. He was airlifted to a hospital. All were wearing life jackets. Operator was arrested for criminal vehicular operation. Alcohol was a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0065
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-30 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Bay
NearestCityorTown: Garrison
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was towing a tube with three people on it. The tube jumped a wave causing the victim and one other person to fall off. When the victim hit the water, she was knocked unconscious. Life jackets were being worn by all on the boat and on the tube. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0066
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2017-08-01 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Kimball
NearestCityorTown: Pequot Lakes
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator #2 stated that he was following Watercraft #1 at 25 to 30 MPH when he got distracted by some loons in the water. 

When he looked up, WC #1 was turned broadside to him and he had no time to react, thus hitting WC #1. When Operator #2 looked back, Operator #1 was in the water. 

Operator #1 stated that he did not have very much experience on personal watercraft and he was just starting to feel comfortable on one. He was operating down the lake and was turning around when he saw WC #2 coming right at him. Operator #2 was looking the other way. Before Operator #1 could react, WC #2 hit the back of WC #1 and forced Operator #1 off the craft. Operator #1, with injuries, was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Life jackets were being worn, and alcohol was not a factor. Watercraft #1 sustained damage and was totaled. WC #2 had minor scuffing on the starboard side.


BARDID: MN-2017-0067
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-22 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:36:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Wayzata
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator stated that they were operating at a slow speed. One passenger was sitting in the bow when the boat went over a wave. When they came down off the wave, the passenger said her back started to hurt. She was transported to the hospital by ambulance. Life jackets were not being worn. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0068
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-23 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Washington
NearestCityorTown: Madison Lake
County: Le Sueur
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator and two passengers were on the personal watercraft. All were wearing life jackets. The Operator accelerated aggressively and turned back and forth sharply shortly after the two passengers were seated on the PWC. This operating conduct caused all three to be thrown off the craft.

 The passenger on the back was thrown off the back of the PWC directly into the water. The passenger in the middle was thrown towards the left side of the watercraft. She stated prior to entering the water, the right side of her body hit the left side of the PWC. She also stated once she entered the water, the left side of her body went underneath the PWC and her left knee was cut. She believed the cut was caused by the propulsion and steering mechanism. The operator stated the left side mirror was broken off also. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0069
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-27 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:17:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Excelsior
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Other
OtherAccidentCause: passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was pulling two tubes at about 20-25 MPH. One tube had two people and one had a single person. The operator stated that both tubes exited the wake, and when the tube with the single occupant came back across, it was about 5-10 feet in front of the other tube. 

The tuber saw that he was going towards the rope of the other tube, so while sideways, he tried to lift the rope over himself. The rope then came back down straight across the front of his body then turning him onto his left side and continuing to cut across the left of him just below his life jacket. It pulled him off the tube. He then laid in the water in a seated position with the help of his life jacket, yelling that he needed help and at this point he still seemed to be ok. 

He said he couldn't move so the operator had a few of the watercraft passengers jump in to swim him to the boat. They went to shore, where paramedics transported him to the hospital. All were wearing life jackets. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0070
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-08-06 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:18:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Spider
NearestCityorTown: West Balsam Township
County: Itasca
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with submerged object
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #2 was at a stationary position, preparing to start trolling when Watercraft #1 t-boned them almost directly in the middle of WC #2's starboard side of the hull. There was no apparent damage to WC #1. 

WC #2 is a possible total loss. The operator of WC #2 received some bruising, but did not seek medical attention. Life jackets were being worn by all, and alcohol was not a factor. Operator #1 received a citation for careless operation.


BARDID: MN-2017-0071
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2017-08-04 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:19:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: St Croix
NearestCityorTown: Bayport
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fire/explosion (non-fuel)
AccidentCause1: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Electrical
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator pulled up to the dock with the intent to load the boat onto the trailer. He tied the boat to the dock and tried to shut off the engine, but the engine continued to run. The operator then tried to disconnect the battery cables but stated the boat fire began almost immediately and he and his two passengers got off the boat. 

When the deputy talked to the operator, he stated that the boat was operating and driving fine. He said the issue he was having was the key was not turning off the motor. He turned it to the "off" position and the motor continued to run. He did not try to pull the kill switch on the key. The throttle was in neutral. He stated they started to pull wires and observed several wires already melted. He said he looked up and the motor was on fire. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The heaviest burned area was the rear right side of the boat. There was a hole in the boat caused by the fire. The boat was a total loss. There were no injuries associated with this incident.


BARDID: MN-2017-0072
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-08-05 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:31:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: St Croix
NearestCityorTown: St Mary's Point
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Rough
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Hazardous waters
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The boat was towing a tube when it hit a large wave on the river. A passenger in the boat was thrown into the air and was slammed back in the vessel. She was transported to the hospital by EMS. She was complaining of severe pain in the right side rib area. Life jackets were not being worn, and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0073
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-08-05 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 21:07:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Prior
NearestCityorTown: Prior Lake
County: Scott
WaterConditions: Unknown
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Inadequate onboard navigation lights
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was backing out of lift and putting up navigation lights. Watercraft #2 struck #1 near the stern. #2 fled scene after making sure everyone was alright. 

Operator #2 brought boat home and put it on the lift. Deputy found beer cans in water and near house of WC #2. Unable to contact Operator #2 that evening. Operator #2 was contacted a few days later. He stated he was driving and not intoxicated. He stated he didn't see WC #1 due to them not having lights on. There were no injuries associated with this incident. Life jackets were not being worn in either watercraft. There was damage to both boats. It is unknown if alcohol was a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0074
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-08-06 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Deer River
County: Itasca
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with submerged object
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentEvent3: Person struck by propeller
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was traveling downstream when it hit a submerged object causing the boat to turn violently. The operator was ejected into the water. The motor continued to run at full speed and turned and drove over the operator's lower extremity while he was in the water. He received severe lacerations. Alcohol was not a factor and a life jacket was not worn. There was no damage to the boat.


BARDID: MN-2017-0075
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-08-12 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:54:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Island
NearestCityorTown: Park Rapids
County: Hubbard
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Personal watercraft was operating on the lake. The operator fell off and injured his neck. The operator stated that the PWC threw him and hurt his neck. He said he has been operating Jet Skis for 20 plus years and is very familiar with the machine. He was taken to the hospital for evaluation. Alcohol was not a factor and a life jacket was being worn. There was no damage to the craft.


BARDID: MN-2017-0076
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2017-08-12 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:39:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Superior
NearestCityorTown: Duluth
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
AccidentCause3: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator #1 was operating WC #1 eastbound along the breakwater, outside Minnesota Slip. She stated the PWC was definitely beyond her experience and too fast. 

Operator #2 was operating WC #2 southbound, exiting the lift bridge canal. As WC #1 rounded the corner of the breakwater, it broadsided WC #2. There was minor damage to WC #2 and significant, disabling damage to WC #1, which was totaled. There were no injuries, and alcohol was not a factor. Life jackets were being worn on WC #1, and were on board WC #2, but not being worn. Watercraft #2 is a US Coast Guard documented boat and does not have state registration. Checking with county to get either documentation number or watercraft name.


BARDID: MN-2017-0077
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-08-12 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:42:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: St Croix
NearestCityorTown: Bayport
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Rough
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Alcohol
AccidentCause3: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 (PWC) was operating at a high rate of speed when it hit a wave sideways. It landed sideways and threw operator off the PWC. The operator hit his head and was knocked unconscious. 

His life jacket kept him afloat, but he was face down in the water. Witness, who was on another PWC next to WC #1, pulled him from the water and turned him face up. He was evaluated on scene and at the hospital. Alcohol was a factor in the incident. The witness thought the victim was travelling at about 55-60 MPH.


BARDID: MN-2017-0078
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-08-26 00:00:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: West Battle
NearestCityorTown: Battle Lake
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
AccidentCause2: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The victim took the personal watercraft out for a cruise on the lake. He was alone and inexperienced. He was seen driving by shore on the north side of the lake. The PWC was found on the southwest side of the lake, unoccupied with a life jacket on the machine. The operator was reported missing at 5:58 p.m. A search was started and his body was located on 8/30/17. It is unknown what time the incident occurred and what actually caused him to fall overboard. There were no witnesses to the incident. He was not wearing a life jacket and alcohol was a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0079
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-09-20 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:50:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Kabetogama
NearestCityorTown: Kabetogama
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Unknown
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Unknown
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: People on gunwale, bow, or transom
AccidentCause2: Alcohol
AccidentCause3: Sharp turn
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
A passenger was seated on a tackle box in the very front of the boat, which had very low sides. The boat was cruising in quickly to shore, when it ran over another boat's wake. The operator had the boat on plane and was attempting to turn the boat towards shore when they went over another wake. 

The passenger then fell overboard. The operator went back to rescue the passenger, who was unconscious. He was face down in the water for about 5 minutes until the operator could get his face out of the water. The operator started yelling for help and got the victim partially out of the water. 

A man at the resort (listed as witness) heard the calls for help, looked outside and saw the operator attempting to pull the victim out of the water. He ran to his boat and drove out to help. The witness saw that the victim was partly pulled on to the back of the boat, but it was starting to fill with water, so the witness pulled them back to a resort dock. CPR and other medical care was given for 45 minutes without success. Alcohol was a factor and life jackets were not being worn.


BARDID: MN-2017-0080
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-09-15 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Christmas
NearestCityorTown: Shorewood
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by propeller
AccidentCause1: Sharp turn
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was on the lake with an operator and four passengers. They had been skiing and wake boarding earlier in the day. When they were finished, the operator wanted to show the passengers on the water a "power turn," told them all to hold on and turned the watercraft 180 degrees while it was underway. 

When completing the turn, the passenger who was sitting in the bow directly in front of the operator was thrown out of the port side of the watercraft. It appeared when she was thrown into the water, the propeller from the watercraft had severed her left foot completely off. 

She was rushed to the hospital and treated for her wounds. The operator admitted to consuming alcohol earlier in the day, and stated the victim had also. Life jackets were on board, but not being used. Operator was arrested for criminal vehicular operation.


BARDID: MN-2017-0081
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-19 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Island
NearestCityorTown: Duluth
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Other
OtherAccidentEvent: person interaction with wildli
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: natural phenomenon
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was towing a paddle board with person riding on it. Occupant of paddle board became warm and jumped in the water to cool off. They were just off shore when person in water was bit by a fish. She was wearing a colorful anklet when it happened. She was assisted to shore and taken to the hospital. The cuts and abrasions were consistent with a large northern pike or muskie bite. Incident was not reported to the county sheriff and was not investigated until it was reported on the local news. Life jackets were being worn by all.


BARDID: MN-2017-0082
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-08-15 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:41:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Minnetrista
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
The registered owner was being towed behind his watercraft. He was using a tow line on a surfboard when his shoulder became dislocated. 

He stated that the injury was caused by the tension of towing. He refused transport by medics. His friends transported him to the hospital. Life jackets were being worn, and alcohol was not a factor. The boat was new and did not have registration numbers. There was no proof of ownership on board. He was verbally reminded to fix the registration.


BARDID: MN-2017-0083
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-22 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 21:14:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Mound
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator was docking the boat. The passenger put her arm out to stop the boat from hitting the dock. She got her arm between the boat and the dock, breaking her arm. She was transported by EMS to the hospital. Alcohol was not a factor. Life jackets were not being worn. There was no damage to the boat.


BARDID: MN-2017-0084
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-08-10 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:15:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Spring Park
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Fair
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Collision with fixed object
AccidentCause1: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was traveling east through Coffee Channel. WC #1 was struck by an unidentified black fishing boat (WC #2) traveling west with a lone female occupant. The impact forced WC #1 to strike the corner of a metal seawall on the south side of the channel. 

The impact created a 3-foot long gouge through the fiberglass hull on the starboard side near the stern. The operator of WC #2 fled the scene. Operator #1 attempted to locate the striking watercraft but was unsuccessful. None of the occupants in WC #1 were able to get the registration number on WC #2. The deputy talked to owner of WC #1 after the incident, but did not actually meet with her until the following day. Unknown if alcohol was a factor. Life jackets were not being worn in WC #1 and it is unknown if worn in WC #2.


BARDID: MN-2017-0085
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-08-12 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:52:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Bay
NearestCityorTown: Deerwood
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was pulling a wake board. The wake boarder's foot came out of the wake board and fell into the water, pulling his leg out from under him. He was taken to the hospital for a possible dislocation. Alcohol was not a factor, and life jackets were being worn.


BARDID: MN-2017-0086
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-08-13 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 23:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Vermilion
NearestCityorTown: Cook
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Fair
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentEvent2: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
On 8/14/2017 at 0858 hrs, a passing boater located a pontoon boat (WC #1) that had run aground on Tanglewood Island. He did not see anyone and called 911. The fire brigade, ambulance and county deputies all responded. They located the watercraft's owner. He had left the scene and returned to his cabin across the bay. He was checked over by the ambulance and refused medical treatment and stated his only injury was to his lip from when he went forward into the steering column. 

He stated he had brought a friend over to Muskego Point at approximately 2330 hrs the night before. He was returning across the lake towards his residence. He could see the lights to his boat house but got his bearings off. He drove his pontoon boat at almost full throttle up on Tanglewood Island. His son brought him back to his cabin the night prior. He stated he had not been drinking, nor was he wearing his life jacket. He was the only person on board at the time of the accident. By the time he talked to the deputies, he had already made arrangements to get the pontoon removed. There was some damage to the watercraft.


BARDID: MN-2017-0087
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-08-12 00:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Budd
NearestCityorTown: Fairmont
County: Martin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Navigation rules violation
AccidentCause2: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Two boats were meeting in a channel and they collided with each other. Operator of Watercraft #1 stated they were struck on the front left side by Watercraft #2's rear left side. Operator of Watercraft #2 said they were struck by WC #1. Operator #2 stated he bought the boat two months previously. Watercraft #1 received damage. WC #2 did not. Life jackets were not being worn in either boat. There were no injuries, and it is unknown if alcohol was a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0088
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-08-11 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:20:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Medicine
NearestCityorTown: Plymouth
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Restricted vision
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was traveling ESE, near the point at 28th Ave N, on the lake. WC #1 maneuvered around some sailboats, but didn't see a group of four kayaks.

 WC #1 struck the starboard bow of Watercraft #2 (one of the kayaks), hitting the passenger in WC #2. WC #2 operator jumped off prior to impact. The passenger was thrown from WC #2 and suffered some injuries. 

Operator #2 grabbed hold of the injured passenger and both were helped aboard WC #1, along with Operator #2's daughter and another woman (listed as witness), both from the group of 4 kayaks. 911 was called and the fire department boat arrived and brought the victims to the boat landing. Both parties in WC #2 were wearing life jackets but they were not being worn in WC #1. Alcohol was not a factor. There was a small amount of damage to WC #2.


BARDID: MN-2017-0089
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2017-08-18 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:54:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: White Iron
NearestCityorTown: Ely
County: Lake
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentEvent2: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent3: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Operator inattention
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator left the resort campground in his boat. He got on plane and then pulled the drain plug to empty the boat of rain water. He stated he thought he was motoring out into the lake, but instead ran into shore. The boat ran aground on a rocky shoreline and hit several small trees. The operator's leg got caught on the seat pedestal when he got thrown forward, causing a break in his lower right leg. 

He was wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident. His dog was on board, also wearing a life jacket, and was uninjured. There was damage to the boat and the motor prop and skag. He was travelling at full throttle at the time of the crash and estimated his speed to be about 25 mph. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0090
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-08-15 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:49:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: North Long
NearestCityorTown: Brainerd
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Sharp turn
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was pulling a tube. The watercraft was occupied by five people and the tube had one person. The Operator maneuvered the watercraft to move the tube from the left side of the wake produced by the watercraft, to the right side of the wake. While moving toward the right side of the wake, the person on the tube fell off and landed face first in the water. He was brought aboard the watercraft and then taken to shore, at which point he was becoming lethargic. He was then transported by ambulance. All were wearing life jackets and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0091
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-08-11 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 22:36:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Stella
NearestCityorTown: Darwin
County: Meeker
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent3: Grounding
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator of Watercraft #2 got disoriented on a dark, moonless night and struck Watercraft #1 which was on a boat lift. The water was only 2.5 feet deep, so WC #2 sustained damage to his motor from hitting rocks. There was damage to WC #2, WC #1 and the boat lift. There were no injuries, and alcohol was not a factor. Operator #2 was cited for not reporting the incident to the county sheriff's office.


BARDID: MN-2017-0092
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-08-07 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:47:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Little Rock
NearestCityorTown: Watab Township
County: Benton
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person departed vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
The motor on the watercraft stopped running and the boat was adrift. The operator decided to jump in the water to swim to shore. When he dove in, he hit his head on a sandbar under the boat. He was unable to move.

 He was picked up by fire and rescue and airlifted to a hospital in the Twin Cities. Life jackets were not being worn. It is unknown if alcohol was a factor. There was no damage to the boat.


BARDID: MN-2017-0093
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-09-01 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:21:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Maple
NearestCityorTown: Maple Lake
County: Wright
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 crashed into Watercraft #2, which was unoccupied and on a lift at shore. Operator #1 was injured and both boats received damage. Operator #1 was alone in the boat and was not wearing a life jacket. He was arrested for BUI.


BARDID: MN-2017-0094
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-09-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Superior
NearestCityorTown: Two Harbors
County: Lake
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with submerged object
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
After departing the area of Split Rock Lighthouse, Operator states he struck a submerged object in the area of the Gooseberry River. He reported to the aerial bridge that he had lost steerage and one motor, so St. Louis Co. Sheriff's Office responded and met the boat at Lakehead Boat Basin in Duluth. None of the occupants sustained injury. Life jackets were not being worn and alcohol was not a factor. Operator believes the water depth was 70 feet. It is unknown if a reef was struck or submerged object.


BARDID: MN-2017-0095
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-09-23 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 22:22:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Crane
NearestCityorTown: Crane Lake
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Poor
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Restricted vision
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator was the only occupant of the boat and left the Voyageur Lodge after watching a football game. He was headed back to his cabin and became disoriented since there was no moon and total darkness. He ended up operating too close to the shoreline and hit the tip of a peninsula and hit several large rocks. 

The boat became airborne and ended up out of the water, wedged between rocks on the shore. The operator was not injured and was able to call 911 and remained with the boat until help arrived. Operator had been drinking several hours earlier with dinner and showed no signs of impairment. PBT was .000.

 The boat remained at the site of the accident until morning when it was removed by a barge. The boat had severe damage to multiple areas. Operator was wearing an inflatable life jacket.


BARDID: MN-2017-0096
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-09-24 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: White Bear
NearestCityorTown: White Bear Lake
County: Ramsey
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentEvent2: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent3: Capsizing
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was traveling across the lake when the operator took it between the buoys that he thought were caution buoys, not rock bar notification. They drove over the rock bar, sticking it with the hull and propeller. 

The boat started to vibrate very badly so they decided to head back to the launch site. While heading to the launch, they noticed they were taking on water and the bilge pump had stopped working and the bilge pump wiring was smoking. 

They made it to the outer sand bar when the boat motor died and they grounded. All three occupants were wearing life jackets. The boat had no flotation in it and when they went to recover it, the boat rolled over. The boat was dragged to the launch and put onto the trailer. There is a hole in the hull by the drain plug and the drain plug had been knocked out. There was also a hole in the bow on the starboard side. The bronze prop was missing one blade and another was bent. There were no injuries and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0097
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-09-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Gull
NearestCityorTown: Nisswa
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
AccidentCause3: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Two personal watercraft were out on the lake together. PWC #1 was in front and operator slowed down to go over a series of large waves. While crossing the waves, PWC #1 turned sideways and was hit on the starboard side by PWC #2. 

Both occupants on PWC #1 were ejected into the water. Operator #2 stated she was following PWC #1 and was talking to her passenger about the houses on Dutchman's Bluff. She was looking at the houses and when she looked forward again, collided with PWC #1. 

All involved were wearing life jackets. Alcohol was not a factor. Occupants of PWC #1 received minor injuries but did not seek medical attention.


BARDID: MN-2017-0098
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-09-04 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:46:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Excelsior
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Rough
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: -1
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Storm
Visibility: Poor
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent2: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Weather
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was on lake when a severe thunderstorm came in. It started taking on water and was having difficulties due to the strong winds. Deputies arrived to find WC #1 being towed into the Maynard's Restaurant docks by WC #2. 

WC #1 was half full of water and had sustained damage to the windshield, captains chair, bow navigational lights and bimini top. The water in the cabin area was approximately 10 inches deep and had flooded the engine compartment. 

WC #2 (the towing craft) had sustained some minor damage as a result of assisting WC #1 during the storm. All involved were wearing life jackets and there were no injuries. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0099
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-01 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:15:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Maple
NearestCityorTown: Maple Lake
County: Wright
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was going west on the lake with a person surfing behind it. All occupants were watching the surfer, not looking in front of the boat. Watercraft #2 was facing north to south and was stationary while the occupants were fishing. They saw WC #1 heading toward them but were unable to start their engine to move and WC #1 collided with them in a T-bone fashion. There was damage to WC #2. There were no injuries. Life jackets were not being worn, and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0100
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-09-24 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Red Wing
County: Goodhue
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: -1
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Congested waters
AccidentCause2: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was heading north on the river, just leaving the Bay Point no wake zone. Operator #1 heard Watercraft #2's horn and Operator #1 started to direct WC #1 to the right (WI shore). Operator #1 noticed WC #2 slowed down and eventually stopped beside WC #1. Operator #1 continued to try and get away from WC #2. WC #2 then floored it and it sucked WC #1 into WC #2. WC #2 stopped and checked to make sure everyone was okay and checked for damages. Both parties then left.

Watercraft #2 was just leaving the Bay Point no wake zone on the river. Operator #2 was making a corner and noticed WC #1 in the middle of the channel, so he slowed WC #2 down. WC #1 continued to stay in the middle of the channel and WC #2 got stuck between WC #1 and a green navigational buoy. Operator #2 signaled his horn twice to let WC #1 know he was going to pass them (MN side). WC #1 continued to squeeze WC #2 towards the green buoy. Operator #2 slowed down even more. WC #1 then got sucked into the wake and a passenger on WC #2 advised Operator #2 that WC #1 was going to hit them. Operator #2 accelerated to avoid collision, but WC #1 got sucked in and made contact to WC #2's swim platform. Operator #2 stopped and checked to make sure parties were okay.

There were no injuries and alcohol was not a factor. Life jackets were not being worn in either boat. There was a small amount of damage to each boat.


BARDID: MN-2017-0101
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-09-23 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Washburn
NearestCityorTown: Outing
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Fair
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentEvent3: Capsizing
AccidentCause1: Restricted vision
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
On 9/25/17, the sheriff's office was advised of a boat accident that had occurred over the weekend. The operator of WC #1 said she was fishing from her drifting boat when she noticed a large boat (WC #2) coming at her. She couldn't see the heads of the people on board and she assumed they couldn't see her either. She couldn't get her boat moved in time and WC #2 struck her boat. 

She was thrown in the water and her boat flipped over. The people from WC #2 assisted her from the water and pulled her boat back to the landing. She was uninjured and had been wearing her life jacket. There was some damage to her boat. The deputy talked to the owner/operator of WC #2. His story was similar to that of Operator #1. He said he was operating his large boat at a slow speed and did not see WC #1. There was no damage to WC #2 and life jackets were being worn by all on board. Alcohol was not a factor in this incident.


BARDID: MN-2017-0102
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-07-10 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:40:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Seton
NearestCityorTown: Spring Park
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Operator inattention
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
On 8/9/17 the county water patrol received a report of a rented pontoon boat (WC #1) that had hit a dock on 7/10/17, causing damage to the watercraft. According to a witness, WC #1 was traveling in a slow no-wake zone and struck a fixed dock. The witness stated the boat was speeding (about 15-20 mph), causing a large wake and thought drinking may have been involved. He said the watercraft slowed down before crashing into the first row of docks. 

The deputy spoke to the owner of WC #1 who said the operator/renter left as soon as the boat had been docked by rental staff. They removed the boat from the water to determine the amount of damage. The deputy left several messages for the renter/operator to call him. He finally connected with him on 8/16/17. He said he had been the operator of the rented watercraft at the time the dock was struck. He said he remembered being in a slow wake area, so he was operating at approximately 5 mph. He said he noticed a dock ahead of him and before he could avoid hitting it, he struck it with the pontoon. He also noted that before hitting the dock, he put the throttle in reverse, slowing his speed down to around 3 mph. He said after hitting the dock on the starboard side of the watercraft, it bounced slightly off the dock. He said he looked at the pontoon and the dock and did not see any damage. There were no injuries. Life jackets were not being worn. Because it was reported almost a month after the incident, it is unknown if alcohol was a factor.


BARDID: MN-2017-0103
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-09-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Wayzata
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The sheriff's water patrol received a call regarding a 2-boat property damage accident that occurred at the Wayzata Public Docks. Deputy arrived and spoke to the dock attendant. The attendant pointed to a large white boat (WC #1) in the bay that was involved in the incident. He also pointed to a boat (WC #2) still tied to the dock and unoccupied. The deputy went out and spoke to Operator #1 who stated that as they were leaving the public docks, his boat was hit by a large wave. It pushed WC #1's stern toward the dock and the starboard side of the swim platform made contact with the starboard engine cowling of WC #2. Operator #1 informed the dock attendant and was waiting to see if the other boat owner would return so he could exchange information. Operator #1 did not believe there was any damage to his boat's swim platform. The deputy talked to the owner of WC #2 and explained what had happened. Owner #2 stated the cowling was painted with a custom paint and gave an estimate about how much it might cost to repaint. Life jackets were not being worn in WC #1 and alcohol was not a factor. There were no injuries.


BARDID: MN-2017-0104
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-12-02 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:57:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Forest
NearestCityorTown: Forest Lake
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The two victims went out over ice to open water in kayaks. The person in WC #1 capsized and was not wearing a life jacket, although there was one on board. 

The person in WC #2 tried to help Operator #1, causing him to capsize. Operator #2 was wearing a life jacket. A witness on shore called 911 and then walked a boat out on the ice to help the victims. 

He was able to get them out of the water, and then the fire department got them across the ice to shore. They were taken by ambulance to the hospital to be treated for cold water exposure. Both victims had been drinking, but no BAC was taken. Because the kayaks were less than 10 feet long, they were not registered. It is uncertain who the owners are.


BARDID: MN-2017-1000
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2017-11-05 00:00:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Lower Red Lake
NearestCityorTown: Red Lake Indian Reservation
County: Beltrami
WaterConditions: Unknown
Wind: Unknown
Visibility: Unknown
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Unknown
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
According to a news media article, a vessel carrying three males capsized dumping them into the water.  Two people have not been recoverd and are considered deceased. A third was able to swim to shore and was treated for hypothermia.  No further inofrmation.


BARDID: MN-2018-0001
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-04-27 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:27:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Red Wing
County: Goodhue
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
AccidentCause2: Weather
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator was putting his boat back in the water for the season with the assistance of a boat sales and service company at the Upper Boat Harbor in Red Wing. The operator said that he drove the boat between the Red Wing Cruiser Club docks and the Ole Miss Docks to circle, due to the windy conditions, and dock the boat at the end of Ole Miss (the city owned marina). The stern of the boat was facing the Red Wing Cruiser Club docks. The operator said that he was operating on the bridge and also being assisted by the service company. He gave the boat more throttle, not knowing the shifters were in reverse, and rammed the Red Wing Cruiser Club docks. The operator said that the wind was also a factor, making it difficult to dock his boat and losing control at the bridge with the controls. There were no injuries and life jackets were not being worn. Alcohol was not a factor. There was damage to the boat and also to the docks.


BARDID: MN-2018-0002
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-04-29 00:00:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Lake City
County: Wabasha
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentEvent2: Grounding
AccidentCause1: Unknown
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The sheriff's office received a report, on 4/29 at 0914 hours, of a sailboat, with motor still running, up against the rocks on shore. There was no one on board. The throttle was in gear at the lowest throttle position. The operator/owner had been on the boat alone. There was a cell phone on board. Officers contacted a phone number from the phone. The contact said his last face-to-face contact with the victim was at about 6:30 pm the evening before. 

The contact had received a text message from the operator at about 8:26 pm. He said the operator had taken the boat out for a test run after replacing the sail earlier in the day. At sunset, he could see the operator in his boat in front of the Pepin Marina with the proper lights on. He said it was not uncommon for the operator to anchor in front of the marina and spend the night on board. He assumed he was doing this since he did not come back to the bar for the evening plans. A search was started for the missing boater. It is assumed that he fell overboard. Alcohol may have been a factor. A life jacket was probably not being worn. It is unknown what time the incident happened. As of 5/31/18, the operator has not been located. There is some damage to the boat, probably from hitting the rocks on shore.On 7/14/18 at 5:00 p.m. some human remains (leg with footwear) were found on the shore of the river near West Newton. On 8/18/18 some clothing, a torso and leg with a boot on it were found in a wooded area on an island about 1/2 mile upriver from Wabasha. On 9/7/18 the Sheriff's office announced that the medical examiner had identified the remains as the missing operator from this incident. The cause of death could not be determined. No drugs or alcohol were detected in the report. It is still unknown what caused the incident.


BARDID: MN-2018-0003
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2018-05-19 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:15:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Bowstring
NearestCityorTown: Deer River
County: Itasca
WaterConditions: Very rough
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: -1
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentCause1: Hull failure
AccidentCause2: Weather
AccidentCause3: Hazardous waters
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was traveling across the lake with four occupants who had just spent four hours fishing. It was noticed by the occupants that water was coming into the boat from the floor. The lake was very rough and windy at this time. The watercraft was able to make it back to the public access (approximately 20 yards) before the watercraft submerged. The four occupants were able to make it to shore by walking. Dispatch was called and later deputies gathered information pertaining to the accident. A towing company was summoned to pull the boat to shore. The boat was later examined. The fiberglass was damaged on the port side of the boat, possibly from the high winds and rough water. There were no injuries and alcohol was not a factor. Life jackets were not being worn. The boat is a total loss.


BARDID: MN-2018-0004
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-05-20 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:37:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Birch
NearestCityorTown: Babbitt
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentEvent2: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was operating on the lake between a hazard buoy and Deer Island when it struck a submerged rock. The operator is familiar with the lake and says he has driven through there before. The injured party had been sitting in the front end of the boat with her back to the bow. The collision caused her back to strike a flat platform behind her. Other passengers also fell from their seats to the floor, but were uninjured. The operator estimated his speed to be 10 mph. Two children in the boat were wearing life jackets but the three adults were not. The injured party was transported to a local hospital by ambulance, complaining of severe back pain. Alcohol was not a factor. There was some damage to the watercraft.


BARDID: MN-2018-0005
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2018-05-27 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 08:10:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Hill
NearestCityorTown: Hill City
County: Aitkin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was leaving a bay at not quite 1/2 plane, curving left. Operator #1 failed to see Watercraft #2, which was trolling. Operator #2 yelled and Operator #1 swerved further to the left. The right front bow of WC #1 struck the left front side of WC #2. Operator #2 went overboard, without a life jacket. Operator #1 stopped and threw his Type IV throwable to Operator #2. Operator #2 sustained a soft tissue injury to his left foot. It is unknown if he sought medical attention. Operator #1 admitted to not seeing WC #2. There was no damage to WC #1 and WC #2 is a total loss. Alcohol was not a factor, and life jackets were not being worn by either party.


BARDID: MN-2018-0006
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-05-28 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Eagle
NearestCityorTown: Park Rapids
County: Hubbard
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was drifting. Watercraft #2 was pulling a tube with two occupants. Operator #2 turned the boat and collided with Watercraft #1. Damage was sustained by both watercraft. There were no injuries. Life jackets were not being worn in WC #1. The tubers and the passenger in WC #2 were wearing life jackets. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0007
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-05-26 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:01:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Big Swan
NearestCityorTown: Dassell
County: Meeker
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person struck by propeller
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft had three people on board and had just switched operators. They were about to get started pulling the tube, which had three occupants. The operator turned the boat too close to the tube. The tubers bailed off the tube into the water. The operator throttled down, bringing the bow up, blocking the sight of the tubers in the water. The boat ran over the tubers causing propeller cuts to two of the tubers. The third tuber was uninjured. Life jackets were being worn by all involved. One injured party was airlifted to a Twin Cities medical center. The other was transported by private vehicle to a local hospital emergency room. A citation was issued to the watercraft owner for allowing underage operation.


BARDID: MN-2018-0008
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-04 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:05:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Pepin, WI
County: Wabasha
WaterConditions: Rough
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: -1
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Weather
AccidentCause2: Hazardous waters
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
The three occupants of Watercraft #1 were fishing. They decided to head back to Pepin where the truck and trailer were parked. They began to take on water over the bow. One passenger began to bail water out of the boat with a bucket but was unable to keep up. As the boat filled with water, the wind pushed them sideways into the swells and capsized the boat. 

All three occupants went into the water. The two passengers were wearing life jackets at the time, but the operator had taken his off earlier in the day. The operator went underwater but one passenger was able to grab him and pull him back up as he held onto the boat. The operator went down a second time as the passenger held onto the operator's hood. The passenger was unable to keep the operator above the water, and estimated that the operator was under approximately 2 - 3 minutes before he could get him back up. The operator was unresponsive at this point. The passenger began to scream for help. He estimated that 30 minutes had elapsed before an angler in another boat pulled up and assisted them. Both passengers got into the angler's boat and they pulled the operator in. He was still unresponsive and one of the anglers started CPR. They got to the marina where they were met by first responders. The operator was taken to the emergency room, where he was pronounced deceased. The police and fire departments went out to locate the boat and towed it back to the marina. There was some damage to the boat. Alcohol was not a factor. The passengers were not injured.

Still waiting to hear back from County Sheriff's office regarding the cause of death - 6/28/18.

Winds were strong and the waters rough.


BARDID: MN-2018-0009
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-05-27 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Bemidji
NearestCityorTown: Bemidji
County: Beltrami
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with floating object
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
AccidentCause3: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator was on a personal watercraft. There was an inflatable swim raft in the lake, occupied by three people. The operator saw the swim raft, cut the throttle and couldn't steer. He ran over the swim raft, injuring two occupants (only one needed medical treatment). The operator was cited for careless operation. Alcohol was not a factor and a life jacket was worn. There was no damage to the personal watercraft, but there was damage to the swim raft.


BARDID: MN-2018-0010
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 23:58:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Oliver
NearestCityorTown: Appleton
County: Swift
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with submerged object
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The Sheriff's Office received a report of a missing person in the lake. The reporting party said he could hear people yelling from shore. He then went to look for the missing person as well as the boat. The boat was located on the south side of the lake, hung up on a sunken tree. The boat was still in gear. The deputies located an empty cup and some alcohol in the boat. Life jackets were in the boat compartments. The boat operator was found on 6/5/18, about a quarter mile east of where the boat was hung up. He was face down in the water and not wearing a life jacket. There was no damage to the boat. 

The sheriff's office is waiting on pending toxicology from the medical examiner's office.


BARDID: MN-2018-0011
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-10 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Eagle
NearestCityorTown: Maple Grove
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
AccidentCause2: Sharp turn
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator was driving his personal watercraft and made a sharp turn. He hit a wave and went airborne. When he landed in the water, he experienced a sharp pain in his right lower back and had difficulty breathing. His friend, who was on another personal watercraft, was able to get the victim back on his PWC and drove him to the public access. The victim was taken to the hospital by ambulance. Deputy spoke to the victim at the hospital. He stated that he thought when he hit the water, the PWC may have hit his back. There was no damage to the personal watercraft. A life jacket was being worn. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0012
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-12 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:31:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Hay
NearestCityorTown: Backus
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Operator inattention
AccidentCause3: Sharp turn
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
The Operator was heading to another fishing spot and lost control of tiller handle causing the boat to turn sharply throwing the operator and passenger into the water. 

The operator was able to re-enter the boat using the back ladder while the passenger was unable to stay afloat causing the passenger to go under the water. The operator could not find the passenger at this point and called law enforcement. Life jackets were not being worn. 

There was no damage to the watercraft. Alcohol does not seem to be a factor (waiting for tox results on passenger/victim). The engine kill switch was not used. The operator told the deputy that the boat came back around real slow. He couldn't remember how he shut the motor off so he could crawl in the back of the boat. The body of the passenger was located and recovered on 6/13/18 at 4:20 p.m.


BARDID: MN-2018-0013
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-09 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 21:00:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Perent
NearestCityorTown: Isabella
County: Lake
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: -1
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
AccidentCause2: Hazardous waters
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The victim (listed as operator) and a passenger were in the canoe, paddling on a lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The canoe capsized and both parties went in the water. Neither were wearing life jackets, and there were none in the boat. The passenger was able to swim to shore, but the operator was nowhere to be seen. The passenger was yelling for help and was found by another camper. 

The area was searched by the parties for several hours, but the operator was not located. The canoe was located upright but filled with water and there was no damage. One of the operator's shoes was found floating in the middle of the bay. 

Parties camping with the victim said he had been drinking the evening of the incident and had smoked marijuana during the trip. The passenger was also believed, by the party that found him, to be intoxicated. The incident was reported to law enforcement the following day at 1541 hours as a missing person, and then confirmed missing by the party he was with at 2042 hours. Rescue teams located the victim's body in the lake at 1534 hours on 6/11.


BARDID: MN-2018-0014
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-05-16 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Superior
NearestCityorTown: Duluth
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Storm
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentCause1: Weather
AccidentCause2: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Engine
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator was sailing out under the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge with crew of five for sailboat races. He had spinnaker sail up with winds from the west on the stern. He stated the winds suddenly shifted to the east. In the meantime, the bridge had lowered. The operator stated the crew had difficulty managing the spinnaker sail and he could not restart his 5 horsepower motor. The boat had no "way" on and blew back into the bridge. The sailboat stays/shrouds broke and mast broke at step as well as broke in two. There were no injuries reported. The boat remained upright and now dismasted, blew back into the harbor under the bridge. There was no damage to the bridge. There were no injuries and life jackets were being worn by all.

The wind shift was extreme and came on suddenly that evening. Deployment of the boat's spinnaker in the Duluth ship canal caused problems to multiply significantly. There were multiple videos posted on local media.

Still waiting to hear about estimated damage amount - right now the report says "greater than $2000" - (7/30/2018)


BARDID: MN-2018-0015
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-05-19 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:26:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Hart
NearestCityorTown: Laporte
County: Hubbard
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: -1
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Storm
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Weather
AccidentCause2: Hazardous waters
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Kayak was on lake with two occupants. They were kayaking with other family members. The kayak capsized and both occupants went into the water. Family members attempted to help them but could not make it to them due to windy/water conditions. They lost sight of them and called for help from shore. The passenger was located face down in the water shortly after arrival of authorities. He was airlifted to a Minneapolis hospital, where he died the following night. The passenger was reported to be wearing a life jacket, but was found without one on. The Operator was located the following morning. He had not been wearing a life jacket. Alcohol was not a factor. The kayak was not registered, since it was only 8 feet long. It's not known who the owner of the kayak is.


BARDID: MN-2018-0016
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-23 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:10:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Cannon
NearestCityorTown: Cannon Falls
County: Goodhue
WaterConditions: Unknown
StrongCurrent: -1
HazardousWaters: -1
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Hazardous waters
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator #1 was with a group kayaking the river. Operator #1 has been on the river three times and was familiar with the area. The group got on the river at about 2:30 p.m. While going down the river, Operator #1 noticed the current was very fast. Operator #1 came upon a bridge and the front of her kayak collided with the bridge pillar. The collision turned WC #1 sideways and caused it to capsize. Operator #1 went in the water, but was wearing a life jacket that kept her afloat. She stayed with the kayak as the current moved her down stream. The group she was with attempted to help her. She got pushed into a downed hanging tree and she hit her head on it. All parties were able to get out of the river. Operator #1 was transported by ambulance to a local hospital.


BARDID: MN-2018-0017
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-28 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:04:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: East Fox
NearestCityorTown: Fifty Lakes
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Victim is a beginner wakeboarder. He fell face first while being towed behind Watercraft #1. He received a small bump and had redness on the side of his head. He was wearing a life jacket at the time. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0018
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-25 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:49:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Prior
NearestCityorTown: Prior Lake
County: Scott
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Collision with fixed object
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was southbound and headed toward upper Prior Lake. Watercraft #2 was northbound and headed toward lower Prior Lake. Under the wagon bridge in the City of Prior Lake, the two boats collided at low speeds in a no wake zone. Operator #1 stated they drifted into WC #2. Operator #2 stated WC #1 veered into them so that it was not a side swipe, but nose of WC #1 hit the pontoon on WC #2 at a 45 or so degree angle. Operator #2 stated then WC #1 began backing up and bouncing around striking the bridge columns. Operator #1 later stated drift was caused by two engine powerful boat. The deputy thought the accident was caused by Operator #1 throttling one of the engines harder/unevenly. Both watercraft received damage. Life jackets were not being worn, and there were no injuries. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0019
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-21 00:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: White Bear
NearestCityorTown: White Bear Lake
County: Ramsey
WaterConditions: Choppy
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Unknown
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Weather
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was tied to the dock with no occupants. Watercraft #2 was pulling back into its space. The wind caused WC #2 to strike WC #1 in the starboard rear. Operator #2 might not have even realized how bad the strike was because WC #1 had a cover on it. The incident occurred sometime between 6/13/18 and 6/21/18. It was reported on 6/21/18. The Deputy talked to the owner of WC #1, who was in contact with owner of WC #2. Deputy has been trying to contact the owner of WC #2 to find out who the operator was at the time of the incident. He is not receiving a response. Unknown if alcohol was a factor. Deputy is treating it as a hit and run until he gets more info.


BARDID: MN-2018-0020
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-30 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:06:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: White Bear
NearestCityorTown: Mahtomedi
County: Ramsey
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator stated he put the drain plug in before launching. They sat on the lake for a while and when they went to move, the boat felt sluggish. He turned on the bilge while they stopped and tied on a tube to the back of the boat. The Operator stated that when he went to take off, the boat sank in the stern and water came in and then the boat rolled over. All were wearing life jackets. After the boat was righted and the water drained, the drain plug was not in the boat, but still sitting on its tether. There were no injuries and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0021
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-01 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 21:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Rush
NearestCityorTown: Crosslake
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was pulling a wake boarder. She injured her arm holding on to the rope. An ambulance was called, but she was transported to the emergency room by her parents. Alcohol was not a factor and life jackets were being worn by all parties.


BARDID: MN-2018-0022
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-30 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:55:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Gull
NearestCityorTown: East Gull Lake
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was sitting out in the lake drifting when the occupants observed Watercraft #2 approaching from the south. WC #2 had its bow in the air, traveling at approximately 10-15 MPH. Occupants of WC #1 jumped out of the watercraft just prior to the collision. WC #2 struck WC #1 in the left rear corner, putting a hole in the hull and also striking the outboard motor. After the collision, Operator #2 stopped and assisted the occupants from WC #1 and began towing them to shore. There were no injuries to any parties involved in the accident. Life jackets were not being worn by anyone. Operator #1 admitted to having a beer earlier, but PBT showed 0.00. Operator #2 may have been drinking but his mom and dad showed up and dad took over towing WC #1 in. Mom took Operator #2 home. The deputy went to the house to interview Operator #2 and when asked about drinking, dad said, "didn't you say you had a couple of beers with your mom when you got home?" Operator #2 said, "yes." He was cited for careless operation.


BARDID: MN-2018-0023
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-05 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:57:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Long
NearestCityorTown: Hillman
County: Morrison
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: -1
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by propeller
AccidentEvent3: Flooding/swamping
AccidentCause1: Sharp turn
AccidentCause2: Force of wake/wave
AccidentCause3: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft with operator and two passengers hit another boat's wake, causing the boat to tip sideways. One passenger was ejected from the boat and was struck by the boat's propeller. The injured passenger was airlifted to a hospital in St. Cloud. Deputies attempted to make phone contact with the operator and the other passenger, but they were at the hospital in St. Cloud. Voicemail messages were left.

The operator returned the deputy's call the following day (7/6) and gave a statement regarding the incident - The operator stated he left the dock area and was northbound, attempting to go counter-clockwise around the lake. There were a large number of boats on the lake. He saw a boat towing a raft and started to make a right turn to avoid that boat. As he was turning he realized he needed to turn sharper to avoid another boat. This is when they hit a large wave which caused a sudden jerking motion on impact. His boat then tipped to the side which made it take on water. He was thrown from the driver's seat into the male passenger. He stood up and the boat was full of water and he realized the female passenger was no longer inside the boat. He turned on the bilge pump and began to look for her. They located her about 100 yards straight east of the boat. She was screaming that her finger was cut off and her leg was injured. He drove up to her and pulled her in the boat. He saw the leg injury and bear-hugged it to put pressure on it to stop the bleeding. The male passenger drove the boat back to the cabin. Back on shore they used a dog collar for a tourniquet. He continued to bear hug the leg until the ambulance arrived and told him he could stop. He took a quick shower and when he came back outside to see if he could assist further, he was told she was being airlifted to St. Cloud and he should drive there. He said he had consumed an alcoholic beverage earlier in the day, but was not intoxicated. He thought he was probably going 25 or 30 MPH when he hit the wave.

The male passenger returned another deputy's phone call on 7/6. He stated they had just left shore in the boat because the female passenger wanted to go waterskiing. He was seated in the front passenger seat, next to the operator, facing to the rear of the boat towards the female passenger. He said when they got out towards the middle of the lake, the boat swerved, possibly because they hit a wave and the boat started taking on water. He was pinned up against the side of the boat with the operator kind of smashed up against him. He said once that stopped he could not find the female passenger, and it turned out she was in the water with severe injuries. He wasn't sure how fast they were going but his best guess was they were traveling at a moderate cruising speed. He didn't know what caused the boat to swerve, because he was looking toward the back of the boat. He said the whole thing happened very fast. He said there were life jackets in the boat, but no one was wearing one. There were other family members on a nearby pontoon boat. They saw what happened and called 911 right away. He said no one was consuming alcohol in the boat, but he and the operator had had some earlier in the day. He confirmed that the operator did not appear to be intoxicated.

The female passenger had bad wounds to her leg area, stomach area, arm and one of her fingers was cut off.


BARDID: MN-2018-0024
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2018-07-05 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:56:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Royalton
County: Morrison
WaterConditions: Unknown
StrongCurrent: -1
HazardousWaters: -1
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with floating object
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Machinery failure
AccidentCause2: Hazardous waters
MachineryFailure: Engine
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator lost power to outboard and was drifting in current. The boat became capsized due to log/debris in water and the current pushing on the boat.  Operator stated it happened very fast. It capsized approximately 3500 feet from the Blanchard Dam, on the west side of the river and the north side of the first island south of the dam. The boat occupants were located here. The river was flowing fast and the water level was high. The boat became pinned against the north side of the second island south of the dam. Life jackets were not being worn, and it is unknown if there were any in the boat. There were no injuries and alcohol was not a factor. The boat was homemade. It was a TOTAL LOSS.


BARDID: MN-2018-0025
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-16 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:42:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Vermilion
NearestCityorTown: Tower
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Unknown
Wind: Unknown
Visibility: Unknown
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Navigation rules violation
AccidentCause3: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Unmanned boat crashed on shore after both occupants were thrown out of boat due to hitting a wake caused by another boat. There were no witnesses to the incident.

The boat occupants were picked up by an unidentified boat passing by and dropped off on shore. The operator/owner then fled and abandoned his boat. The boat had empty alcohol containers on board. The person in the boat that got him to shore said he smelled of alcohol.
Watercraft was not registered. The deputy later got a tip about the owner and was able to contact him. Owner didn't have information about his passenger. The passenger was supposedly the man's son, but he didn't have his full name or date of birth. Citation was issued to owner for lack of registration. Life jackets were not being worn.


BARDID: MN-2018-0026
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-30 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:39:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Shorewood
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #2 and Watercraft #1 were both going through the channel at regular speed. WC #1 hit a wave caused by WC #2. This caused a passenger in WC #1 to lose her balance and fall face forward. She hit her left eyebrow on the port-side bench. After she hit her face, she bounced on the floor multiple times causing her to hurt her back. WC #1 went to a marina and called 911. The injured passenger was transported by ambulance to the hospital to be evaluated.

Operator #1 told the deputy he thought WC #2 was going too fast. The deputy was not in the area at the time and is not sure of the actual speed. There was no info reported about WC #2. Life jackets were not being worn on WC #1 and alcohol was not a factor.

The deputy said the channel is a speed channel which means boats can go regular speed through the channel. He said the channel is not very wide, so if a large cruiser (like WC #2) was going through and a smaller watercraft (like WC #1) was going through, the smaller craft may get tossed around a bit.


BARDID: MN-2018-0027
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-07 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:24:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Sturgeon
NearestCityorTown: Sturgeon Lake
County: Pine
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person departed vessel
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was on lake with two occupants. They were fishing and then started to head home. They saw fish on the depth finder, slowed down and stopped. When the operator stood up, his hat blew off into the water. The passenger said he would go in and get it. The operator told him no. The passenger jumped into the lake without a life jacket. 

The operator threw a life jacket toward him, and tried to get closer with the boat. The passenger started to struggle. The operator, who also was not wearing a life jacket, jumped in to help him. The operator was holding on to the passenger and calling for help. He was unable to hold the passenger up in the water and swim to shore. The operator stated the passenger was already not breathing when he was holding on to him. The operator had to let go of the passenger so he could stay up in the water. 

The passenger sank in the water. Authorities were called and a search was started for the passenger. They were unable to locate him and called off the search for the night. It resumed the following morning (7/8), but had to be called off late in the day due to bad weather. The passenger's body was located on 7/9 at 4:42 p.m.


BARDID: MN-2018-0028
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-10 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:00:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Sawbill
NearestCityorTown: Tofte
County: Cook
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper loading
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
The victim was camping with friends and family. He went out canoeing to explore. He was alone in the canoe and didn't have his life jacket on, but it was in the canoe with him. The rest of his camping party were swimming and heard a splash. They looked up and saw the victim try to right his tipped canoe. He attempted it three times, then stopped and no one saw him after that. Two adults from the camping party got into their canoe and paddled out to help him, but they couldn't find him. They searched around the canoe for him and stopped looking after a while. They weren't sure why he tipped his canoe over, they only saw it after he had already tipped. It was hours after it happened that Search and Rescue members found him in the water. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0029
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-02 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:16:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Prior
NearestCityorTown: Prior Lake
County: Scott
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was anchored near Cows Bay when the Operator observed Watercraft #2 (a PWC) approaching his boat at a high rate of speed. Operator #2 attempted to swerve to avoid hitting WC #1, however he hit a large wave and lost control of WC #2. Operator and passenger of WC #2 jumped off before it collided with the port side of WC #1. There was moderate damage to WC #1. There were no injuries. Life jackets were being worn on WC #2 but not on WC #1. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0030
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-05 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:04:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Pokegama
NearestCityorTown: Grand Rapids
County: Itasca
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Restricted vision
AccidentCause3: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was westbound on the lake near the LaPlant Public Access. Watercraft #2 was eastbound in the same area. Due to a moderate amount of traffic, there were several individuals operating personal watercraft and motorboats in the same area. According to witnesses on WC #2, it appeared WC #1 was coming toward them as they were cruising the lake while pulling a tuber. 
It was noted the bow of WC #1 was very high and it appeared the operator did not see them. Watercraft #2 operator and occupants were alerted at this time. Operator #2 attempted to steer to the right to avoid the collision. WC #1 made a sharp left turn. As a result, the two watercraft collided. 
The bow of WC #1 struck #2 in the middle portion on the port side. Two occupants from WC #2 were ejected into the water. One occupant from WC #1 was thrown onto WC #2. Six people from the two watercraft were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The tuber (listed as passenger in People tab) from WC #1 was uninjured. Life jackets were worn by all (including the tuber) on WC #1. Life jackets were on board WC #2, but were not being worn. Operator #1 was arrested for Criminal Vehicular Operation.  Operator1 had a .24 BAC.  Operator #2 had been drinking, but was not intoxicated.


BARDID: MN-2018-0031
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-06 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:29:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Fountain
NearestCityorTown: Albert Lea
County: Freeborn
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Operator inexperience
AccidentCause3: Restricted vision
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 and Watercraft #2 collided causing the occupants of WC #2 to be ejected. When deputies arrived they were told that the wrecked boats were being towed to shore. A few moments later a boat pulled up to the beach with several people in it. It had the two injured parties from WC #2. They were complaining of pain. One girl started talking and said she was the operator of the PWC (WC#2). She stated she was heading one way and the boat (WC #1) was heading another, straight across the lake. She stated the boat was flat and then sped up (motioning with her hands as if the bow of the boat was raising up). 

She stated she thought Operator #1 was messing around because she knew him. She stated she let off the gas and tried to turn. She stated she realized he was not stopping and she could not stop. The two were transported to the hospital. Deputies spoke to a witness who was on another boat. She stated that the boat (WC #1) was going across the lake and not traveling like most boats do, going around the lake. She motioned with her hands that WC #2 was traveling in a southwesterly direction. She motioned that WC #1 was heading south to southeast and was almost stopped. She stated that the boat (WC #1) sped up eventually hitting WC #2. (The witness was not able to give directions so the deputy had to go off her hand signals.) 

The witness stated that when WC #1 and WC #2 collided, the two people on WC #2 fell off. Deputies spoke to the operator of WC #1 who stated he was driving in one of the bays on the lake when he noticed a fisherman's boat ahead. Operator #1 slowed down to an idle to prevent making a large wake near the fishing boat. He then turned right and began driving toward another bay. He said shortly after, he heard some screaming and then the PWC (WC #2) crashing into his boat. He said he never saw WC #2 and he estimated he was traveling around 25 to 30 mph. 

The deputy then went to the hospital and spoke to both occupants of WC #2. The passenger stated she did not know where WC #1 came from but first noticed it when it was about 20 feet away. She said the sun was behind WC #1 making it difficult to see. She did not know how fast the PWC they were riding was going. After the crash, she was knocked off into the water and then felt the pain almost immediately. The Deputy then spoke to Operator #2. She said she thought they were going about 5 mph. She had seen WC #1 coming. As the boat was driving toward them, she could tell it increased its speed because the front rose up. She tried to turn the PWC away, but was unable to complete the turn in time. She said the sun was behind the boat. When the boat hit the PWC, it knocked her and her passenger off. Alcohol was not a factor in the incident. Life jackets were not being worn. WC #1 received damage.


BARDID: MN-2018-0032
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-08 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:25:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Fairy
NearestCityorTown: Sauk Centre
County: Todd
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Sharp turn
AccidentCause3: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was pulling a person on an inner tube behind the watercraft. Watercraft #2 attempted to make a hard turn to avoid the tow line, but was unsuccessful. The individual on the tube jumped off prior to WC #2 striking the tow line. WC #2 flipped, throwing the operator and passenger from the craft. Both went to the hospital with pain. Life jackets were being worn by all and alcohol was not a factor. There was minor damage to WC #2.


BARDID: MN-2018-0033
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-24 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Sturgeon
NearestCityorTown: Red Wing
County: Goodhue
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was docked at the marina. Nobody was on board at the time of the incident. When Owner #1 came to the dock, a witness advised Owner #1 to check his boat for damage. Owner #1 noticed damage to a railing on the stern of the boat. He didn't think the damage would be over $2000.

The first witness helped Watercraft #2 leave the dock. Witness didn't see the boat hit, but it was very close. A second witness on the dock saw Watercraft #2 brush and push on the railing. Second witness saw and heard the pulpit from WC #2 hit the railing.

Watercraft #2 left the marina around 4:00 p.m. WC #2 had a crew on back of watercraft and a female on the dock helped push bow of WC #2 out. Behind WC #2 had 20-25 feet gap between a docked boat (Tommy's Girl). WC #2 had approximately 15 feet between WC #1. Operator #2 operated WC #2 and just got away from the dock and left. Operator #2 stated he didn't hit anything, and no one on board said they hit anything. Didn't see anyone on dock hailing them. There was no one else on dock that they could see. Operator #2 is shocked that this even came up. Operator #2 stated he has witnesses that were on the boat.

Deputy got a call from Owner #1 on 7/12/18. The total damage to his boat was estimated at $3248.49. Alcohol was not a factor. Life jackets were not being worn and there were no injuries.


BARDID: MN-2018-0034
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-05 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: East Rush
NearestCityorTown: Rush City
County: Chisago
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Machinery failure
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
MachineryFailure: Electrical
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator #2 was driving WC #2 next to shore and his battery died. He could not maneuver out of the way. He was within approximately 50 feet of the shoreline and hit Watercraft #1, a pontoon boat on a boat lift. Alcohol was not a factor. There were no injuries and a life jacket was being worn.


BARDID: MN-2018-0035
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-11 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:53:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Gervais
NearestCityorTown: Little Canada
County: Ramsey
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
Personal Watercraft #2 was pulling a tuber. The person on the tube fell off into the water. A family member operating Personal Watercraft #1 was going across the lake and did not see the tuber in the water and hit her in the head with the PWC. The tuber was knocked unconscious and when her sister was able to grab her and roll her face out of the water, she was having a seizure. 

The sister yelled for help and a good Samaritan pulled up and they were able to get the tuber out of the water and returned to shore. An ambulance was called and she was transported to the hospital. PWC #2 never returned to shore while the deputy was there. He asked several times for them to call PWC #2 back but the parties were confrontational and refused. He still has not heard from them, they will not call him back. Life jackets were being worn on PWC #1 and also by the tuber from PWC #2. Alcohol was not a factor with PWC #1. Information for PWC #2 is unknown.


BARDID: MN-2018-0036
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-27 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:15:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Excelsior
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent2: Sinking
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was drifting while occupants fished in about 6 feet of water. The two passengers jumped into the water to swim and soon after, a wake came over the stern of the watercraft causing the watercraft to take on water. The operator was unable to get the water out and shortly thereafter, the watercraft sank in about 5 feet of water. Everyone was able to get to shore, but the watercraft was fully submerged. There were no injuries and everyone was wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident. Owner was able to get the boat pulled out of the water. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0037
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-04 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:35:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Carlos
NearestCityorTown: Alexandria
County: Douglas
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was participating in a boat parade on the lake. Operator of WC #1 was leaning over the side of the pontoon, reaching for a belonging in the water. The operator's leg/thigh area pushed the throttle forward, causing the boat to go into max speed. WC #1 crashed into WC #2, which was on a boat lift, unoccupied. There were no injuries and life jackets were being worn. Alcohol was not a factor. There was damage to both watercraft involved.


BARDID: MN-2018-0038
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-05 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Excelsior
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person departed vessel
AccidentCause1: Other
AccidentCause2: Alcohol
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Deputies were dispatched to an incident where a woman had dove into shallow water and was injured. Upon arrival, the deputies observed passengers on a pontoon boat waving them over. After talking to the boat occupants they learned that while the sea legs were being lowered on the boat, the victim stood on top of the side cushion/railing and dove off. She dove head first with her arms extended out. She came up to the surface of the water face down. Another passenger jumped into the water and turned the injured woman on to her back and with help from other passengers, they pulled her onto the pontoon. She was unconscious when they got her to the boat. She went in and out of consciousness until the deputies arrived. She was brought to shore and transported by ambulance to the hospital. Deputies determined that the depth of the water where she dove was 3.6 feet. The victim had been drinking prior to boarding the boat. Life jackets were not being worn.


BARDID: MN-2018-0039
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-10 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Bemidji
NearestCityorTown: Bemidji
County: Beltrami
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person struck by propeller
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
The sheriff's office received a report of an injury accident on the lake and the victim, who was struck by the prop, was being brought to a boat landing in a park. The deputy was at the landing when the watercraft, with four people on board, arrived. The victim was seated on the port side with his leg wrapped in a towel. He was able to walk to the bow and onto the dock without any help. He was assessed by the fire department. The towel was removed, the laceration was not bleeding at the time. An ambulance arrived and first aid was provided. Victim denied further medical attention and was transported to the emergency room by private vehicle. The deputy went to the ER and took statements from the others who had been on board at the time of the incident. 

One passenger stated that she, and the other passengers met the operator at the park to go tubing. They headed to the north end of the lake. One passenger had been on the tube and was in the water. The operator stopped the boat and the tuber climbed on board. Once on the boat, he said he needed to go to the hospital. The others then saw the injury and began providing first aid, called 911 and drove back to the landing. She said the operator had not been reckless when operating the boat. She said she and the other two passengers each had a beer, but the operator had none. 

The Deputy then spoke with another passenger, who said they met at the park to go tubing. The victim was the first to ride the tube, and he fell off twice. After the second time, he swam to the back of the boat to board by the ladder. Once he was back in the boat, he said he needed to go to the hospital. She also stated that they each had a beer, except for the operator. The deputy then spoke with the victim. He said he has known the operator for 3 years and does not know him to drink alcohol. He had offered him a beer prior to the accident, but the operator declined. The victim said he had a beer and the other two passengers each had a beer. He said he rode on the tube first, falling off two times. After the second time, the operator circled around to check on him. The victim told him he wanted to get back on the boat. The operator stopped the boat and he swam to the stern. The boarding ladder was up so he swam past the lower unit to reach for the ladder. When he did this, he felt something hit his left leg. He didn't know he had been injured until after he got on the boat and looked at his leg. Once he saw the wound, he told the operator that he needed to go to the hospital. Life jackets were being worn by all involved.


BARDID: MN-2018-0040
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-11 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:12:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Prior
NearestCityorTown: Prior Lake
County: Scott
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Restricted vision
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was anchored. The occupants of WC #1 saw Watercraft #2 coming from a long ways away and they tried to wave and shout at it. WC #2 was riding with the nose very high and the operator most likely could not see WC #1 or it's occupants. Everyone in WC #1, besides the operator, jumped out of the boat on the starboard side at the last moment before impact. Operator #1 jumped out on the port side of the boat and was struck by WC #2 as it ran up the back of WC #1. 

Operator #2 stated that he was anchored up with another boat and then left that location. At that time he did not know what happened, but he struck WC #1. He stated he could not see WC #1. It should be noted that WC #2 has a large platform on the front, commonly used for bow fishing. There was damage to both boats from the impact. Two passengers from WC #1 reported their phones were with them when they jumped into the water, and were now lost. Operator #1 received injuries and was transported by ambulance to the hospital. Alcohol was not a factor. Life jackets were not being worn in either boat.


BARDID: MN-2018-0041
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2018-07-07 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 23:20:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Woman
NearestCityorTown: Longville
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Deputy spoke to the operator of Watercraft #2. Operator #2 stated he and a passenger went to Longville traveling from Woman Lake through the canal into Girl Lake. When they were returning home, the wind was blowing pretty hard creating a choppy and wavy lake surface. While on full plane with an estimated speed of 30-35 mph, Operator #2 stated he saw a boat at the last second and attempted to avoid it. They collided with the other boat and believed he had traveled over the top of it. After the collision and making sure his passenger was ok, Operator #2 turned around and immediately checked on the occupants of the other boat. He stated the other occupants advised they believed they were ok and would be returning to the lodge. When the deputy asked Operator #2 if he believed the other boat had its running lights on, he stated he wasn't sure, but believed he did not see them.

The Deputy made contact with the operator of WC #1. Operator #1 stated they had gone to a restaurant on Girl Lake for dinner. They were returning home when suddenly a speed boat collided with their pontoon boat. The deputy asked Operator #1 if he believed the speed boat had its running lights on. Operator #1 stated it happened so quickly he was not able to see it coming. Operator #1 believed that he had his own running lights on. Operator #1 stated that after the collision, the other watercraft immediately turned around and came back to check on everyone. Operator #1 was able to get his watercraft back to his boat lift. A female passenger aboard WC #1 had sustained minor injuries and an ambulance was called to the residence. They advised she go to the hospital for precautionary purposes.

On 7/10/18, the deputy made phone contact with another passenger who had been on board WC #1 at the time of the incident. His wife, also on board, had sustained injuries from the incident and had received medical treatment. The passenger also indicated that before the collision happened, he observed WC #2 heading in their direction. He stated the rear white stern light was not in its upright position and was not "connected." The passenger stated he stood near the rear of the pontoon boat and began waving his arms in an attempt to be seen. Before WC #2 struck them, the passenger stated he advised everyone in the pontoon boat to lay down, as he believed they were going to be struck. He indicated he did not believe WC #2 had its running lights on when they were struck.

Alcohol was not a factor in the incident. Life jackets were not being worn in either watercraft at the time of the incident. Both Watercraft involved were totaled.


BARDID: MN-2018-0042
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-11 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:40:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Boulder
NearestCityorTown: Nevis
County: Hubbard
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft (PWC) was in operation with operator and two passengers on the lake. The two passengers fell off into the water. One passenger was injured by the water jet. She was assisted back to shore by the operator, the other passenger and other bystanders. She was taken to the hospital for treatment. Life jackets were being worn and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0044
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-22 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:25:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Swan
NearestCityorTown: Pengilly
County: Itasca
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentEvent2: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent3: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was pulling a tube occupied by two children and an adult. There were two other people, in addition to the operator, in the boat. They are the children's parents and they were acting as spotters. The boat was paralleling the shore going south. The operator was unaware that the tube was outside the wake on the left side. The spotters did not make him aware of this. The tube struck a boat which was on a lift. The three occupants on the tube were injured. All three were wearing life jackets. The occupants on the boat were not wearing life jackets. There was minor damage to the boat on the lift. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0045
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-14 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:50:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Loon
NearestCityorTown: Vergas
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person struck by propeller
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
The victim (passenger on boat) was swimming behind the pontoon boat on the lake. The operator and victim misunderstood each other's actions on how to get back to the boat. The operator put the boat into gear (reverse) while the victim started swimming toward the stern of the boat. The operator wasn't able to turn the motor off fast enough and the propeller hit her in the upper thigh causing a severe laceration. The passengers on the boat were able to get the victim on board and attempt to stop the bleeding. The victim was brought to shore and treated by EMS. She was life flighted from the scene to a hospital in Fargo. The victim and passengers admitted to drinking throughout the day, but the operator, at the time of the accident, had not been drinking (blew a .00 on the PBT). It's believed the accident was a cause of miscommunication between the victim and operator. Life jackets were not being worn.


BARDID: MN-2018-0046
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-22 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:38:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Orono
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Both watercraft were traveling through a channel under a bridge. Watercraft #2 hit the side wall where there were rocks. The deputy had each operator fill out a first person statement. Operator #1 said: "In North Arm Bay traveling into Crystal Bay I was heading into channel. I was almost through channel when a fishing boat started to go through. I was close to cement and tried to get over. He was coming at us and overcorrected. At that time, we were through the channel. He later came back to ask us for insurance because he said he had damage to his boat. We told him we didn't hit him." 

Operator #2 said: "Going into West Arm from Crystal Bay - Going through channel to West Arm I was approximately 2/3 of way into channel. Oncoming boat angled at our boat. Thought we were going to be hit by oncoming boat. I moved over to avoid being hit. Oncoming boat corrected back to their right. Back end of oncoming boat forced my boat in end of sea wall. I attempted to push away from sea wall but other boat left no room to get through. Other driver had panicked look on her face as she could not control her boat. I turned around and attempted to talk with other boat driver. She and her husband said there was no boat contact and they had the right of way. We should have stopped and let her through. I advised her my boat was 2/3 of the way into the channel. She was not able to drive/control her boat caused the accident. Other driver declined to provide insurance or contact info. I called 911. My wife took photo of other boat with her phone." There were no injuries. Life jackets were being worn in WC #1 but not in WC #2. Alcohol was not a factor. There was damage to WC #2.


BARDID: MN-2018-0047
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-07 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:42:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Little Detroit
NearestCityorTown: Detroit Lakes
County: Becker
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person departed vessel
AccidentCause1: Weather
AccidentCause2: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Deputies received a call regarding an abandoned boat which was close to the swimming area by a resort. The deputies responded to find the boat anchored on shore. They talked to the caller and then went to look at the abandoned boat. As they were looking at the boat, people on the beach noticed an arm in the air out in the water. The deputies went out to retrieve the person in the water. They got her into the boat. Before the deputies could assess her condition, they observed a nearby pontoon with occupants holding on to another person in the water. The deputies went to assist them get the man on the pontoon boat. Both boats went back to shore. Both victims were transported to the hospital. One deputy spoke with a witness. She stated she had observed both the victims earlier in the day driving around the swim area in a boat, which was now beached on shore. She said they were driving recklessly and very fast and were driving very close to the swim area. The other deputy had spoken with the male victim (boat operator). The operator said he had been in the boat with the female victim. They stopped the boat in the middle of the lake and jumped out to swim. After doing so, the wind was so strong that it pushed the boat away and they were not able to swim to it. They were also having a very difficult time swimming to shore. While talking to the victim, the deputy noticed an odor of alcohol. Neither victim was wearing a life jacket. The operator was arrested for BWI.


BARDID: MN-2018-0048
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-08-01 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:34:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Fox
NearestCityorTown: Faribault
County: Rice
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person departed vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
According to parties on the boat at the time of the incident, the motor had stopped working and they were drifting across the lake. The owner/operator dove into the water in an attempt to work on the boat motor. The depth of the water where he dove in was approximately 2-3 feet deep. It is believed that he hit bottom and had a possible spinal injury as he could move his lower limbs and was reportedly in and out of consciousness. Emergency responders backboarded him in the water and transported him back to shore where he was airlifted due to his injuries. Alcohol does not seem to be a factor. Life jackets were not being worn.


BARDID: MN-2018-0049
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-13 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:44:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Orono
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Unknown
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator stated he saw other PWCs jumping wakes of boats and thought it looked fun. He tried duplicating what he saw others doing and steered into a wake. He believes he was going approximately 30 mph when he came upon the wake, but instead of jumping the wake, the PWC jerked abruptly and he and his daughter, who was a passenger, fell off the PWC and into the water. Both were wearing life jackets at the time. Operator remembers feeling pain coming from his rib area when he hit the water, but is unsure if he hit the PWC prior to hitting the water. He stated his first reaction was to see if his daughter was okay, which she was, and then they both got back up on the PWC and headed towards shore. After arriving at shore, the operator removed his life jacket and began walking up to the house when he became light headed and dizzy. He laid down in the grass and a friend called 911. When officers arrived, there was already some bruising on his lower chest. Ambulance arrived and transported him to the medical center for further evaluation and treatment. Alcohol was not a factor in the incident.


BARDID: MN-2018-0050
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-06-17 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 08:15:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Namakan
NearestCityorTown: Kabetogama
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The watercraft was underway when it struck a rock. The operator was able to pilot the boat to shore and call for assistance. There were no injuries and the boat was removed to the Ash River Visitor Center. There was damage to the boat. Life jackets were not being worn. Alcohol was not a factor. National Park Service Rangers responded as primary on this incident. St. Louis County Sheriff's Office received the report from them on July 30, 2018.


BARDID: MN-2018-0051
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-08-12 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:05:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Rush
NearestCityorTown: Ottertail
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Victim was riding a wakeboard being pulled by a personal watercraft. The victim fell and hit the water with her head first. She described the fall as "hitting concrete." The victim was taken to her residence where she later complained of dizziness and nausea approximately an hour after the accident. The accident is believed to have caused a possible concussion as these were the symptoms she was suffering from. Life jackets were being worn at the time of the incident and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0052
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-09-06 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:53:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Crane
NearestCityorTown: Orr
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with floating object
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator stated he struck a log while boating at a slow speed, causing his passenger to fall overboard. The operator was able to retrieve the passenger and drive back to shore. Both were treated for hypothermic conditions. Alcohol was not a factor. Life jackets were not being worn. There was no damage to the boat.


BARDID: MN-2018-0053
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-08-15 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:15:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Lost
NearestCityorTown: Mahtomedi
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Unknown
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
Victim was found outside the inflatable boat, right next to it and still touching it. He was found face down wearing a life jacket. The boat was in the lily pads and did seem to be fully inflated, and the back half of the boat was under water. There was a trolling motor attached to the back of the boat that was also underwater. The first deputy at scene saw the man in the water, face down with the life jacket on and waded out, got him to shore, removed his life jacket and started CPR. Medics arrived and pronounced the victim. 
The incident was unwitnessed, so it is unknown how or what time he actually entered the water. A man and his wife had arrived at the park at about 1400 hours. They walked down by the fishing pier and noticed an adult male placing a small raft into the water. They then walked up to the picnic tables to eat lunch. After they had eaten, they walked down to the fishing pier one more time before leaving the park. The boat was in the water. There were other personal belongings on the shore. When the man noticed there was no one in the boat, he called 911, at approximately 1500 hours. Because the boat is less than 10 feet long, it has not been registered.


BARDID: MN-2018-0055
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-09-15 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:55:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Orono
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Deputies were dispatched to a watercraft in Lower Lake North - Lake Minnetonka, just north of Big Island and east of Huntington Point, going in circles unoccupied. When deputies arrived they located the boat going in circles at approximately 5 mph. They were able to stop the watercraft and it was found that the operator was unaccounted for. Search efforts utilizing sonar located the victim on 9/16/2018 at 1000 hours. The victim was recovered in 30 feet deep water.

The operator and his wife had discussed going out in the boat that day. When the wife returned from running errands, the operator had already left with the boat and trailer to go to the launch site. He told the wife he would meet them at the launch site. The operator and his wife, their three children, a friend of one child, the victim's neighbors and their two children went out in the boat and spent the afternoon at Big Island. They headed back to the launch site, where he had picked them up, at about 5:00 p.m. The operator dropped everyone off and said he would "just cruise back to the Water Patrol Boat Launch, perhaps take a quick dip in the water and come home." The wife brought the kids home and called the husband at 5:23 pm to see if he needed help trailering the boat. He said he didn't. She asked if he was ok and he said he was. At 6:18, the wife received a call from her mother (the registered owner) who said the boat had been found but the operator had not.

A woman contacted the Sheriff's Office on 9/16/18. She was a friend of the victim and stated she had made arrangements to meet him near Big Island at about 5:00 pm on the day of the incident. She was in a friend's boat and had been texting him. She was talking on the phone with him and he said he could see her. He was heading her way and she went in the water briefly. When she got back in the boat, she saw the victim's empty boat driving in circles. They called 911. The woman did not see how the victim had exited his boat.

The victim had not been wearing a life jacket. Alcohol was a factor. It is unknown what actually caused him to fall overboard.


BARDID: MN-2018-0056
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-09-22 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:40:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: Peltier
NearestCityorTown: Lino Lakes
County: Anoka
WaterConditions: Unknown
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Engine
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Witness reported the boat was having engine problems when it was leaving the boat launch. They saw the boat lunge forward and the lone occupant fall overboard. They saw the operator enter the water and after the boat circled around, the operator went underwater and did not resurface. It was reported that the victim was at the lake to meet a friend to fish. His friend was already out on the lake. The victim was located using side-scan tow system and was recovered with divers from the Anoka County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit. There was an orange horseshoe life jacket under a net in the boat. It is unknown if there were any other lifesaving devices on board. The victim was not wearing a life jacket.


BARDID: MN-2018-0057
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-10-06 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 00:31:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Crane
NearestCityorTown: Crane Lake Township
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Poor
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentEvent2: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Restricted vision
AccidentCause3: Weather
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Boat with four occupants was headed NE on the lake en route to a family cabin on Sand Point Lake. The operator reported his spotlight flickered then went out and he lost sight of a buoy marker. As the operator started to throttle down, the boat hit large visible and submerged rocks on the south side of Indian Island. The boat possibly went airborne for a short distance and landed on submerged rocks in shallow water. Two female passengers were in the cabin area, and one sustained injury and was taken to the hospital. The operator and a male passenger received minor injury. The operator refused medical treatment. The male passenger was taken to the hospital but refused medical attention once he was there. Life jackets were on board, but were not being worn at the time of the incident. The boat received damage. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0058
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-10-12 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 08:22:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Camp
NearestCityorTown: Garrison
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Overloading
AccidentCause2: Improper loading
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was on the lake with an operator, two passengers and two Labrador retrievers on board. During travel across the lake, the dogs shifted weight to the front of the boat, causing the boat to take on water. The occupants were unable to bail water and maintain buoyancy. The boat capsized and the operator called 911 on his cell phone. A resident on the lake was at home having coffee and observed something shiny across the lake, and realized someone was in trouble. He was able to drive his pontoon boat out to the victims and help them and their dogs out of the water and bring them to shore. Life jackets were not being worn at the time of the incident. The two passengers were treated for hypothermia. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0059
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2018-09-16 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:26:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Orono
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fire/explosion (unknown origin)
AccidentEvent2: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent3: Collision with fixed object
AccidentCause1: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Engine
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator of Watercraft #1 said he left his dock and was about halfway out in Lafayette Bay when he noticed black smoke coming from his instrument panel. He turned off the watercraft and checked for any hot wires. He did not find any. He started the watercraft again and at this point he noticed smoke coming from the motor housing of the watercraft. He turned off the watercraft and flagged down a passing boat. He boarded their watercraft, along with his dog. Shortly thereafter, his watercraft started on fire and due to the winds, which were approximately 15 mph coming from the south, his watercraft was pushed up against a dock at a residence directly into Watercraft #2. Watercraft #2 was tied up to the side of the dock and started on fire. It came undone from the dock. Both WC #1 and WC #2 were pinned against the dock and the fire spread to the dock, the dock canopy and Watercraft #3. All three watercraft were a TOTAL LOSS and there was also damage to the dock, dock canopy and a generator on the dock. There were no injuries and Operator #1 was wearing a life jacket. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0060
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-09-02 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:27:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Big Jessie
NearestCityorTown: Talmoon
County: Itasca
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: People on gunwale, bow, or transom
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
The passenger in the watercraft stated she was fishing the east shore of the lake with her husband (operator). The operator had reached over the side of the boat to grab his lure, as it was caught in the weedline. As he leaned, he fell overboard and the boat continued forward. 

At this time, the passenger made her way back to the motor and maneuvered the watercraft around to go back to his whereabouts. She retrieved a life jacket and threw it to the operator in the water. This was unsuccessful. She looped around again. This time, she told him to grab the front of the boat. He looked confused and was unsuccessful. The wife stated he was attempting to swim toward her. 

He also appeared to be confused. As a result, he went under the water surface. She said he may have had a medical condition. The man was not wearing a life jacket. Later, the wife was able to get to shore and called Emergency Medical Services. Side scan sonar was used and at 1704 hours, the victim was located by the Itasca Co. Dive Team and Search and Rescue personnel. Life jackets were not being worn and alcohol was not a factor. Cause of death was drowning.


BARDID: MN-2018-0061
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-08-31 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 17:05:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Hunter
NearestCityorTown: Longville
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: People on gunwale, bow, or transom
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator was fishing from the boat in front of the cabin and was not wearing a life jacket. He was standing up and lost his balance and fell in the water. A neighbor heard someone yelling for help and by the time he arrived on scene in his boat, the victim was laying on his back at the bottom of the lake. He was pulled from the water and taken to the dock at the residence. Ambulance was on scene and called time of death at 5:56 p.m. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0062
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-08-02 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:21:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Medicine
NearestCityorTown: Medicine Lake
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator was towing his son on a wakeboard behind the watercraft with a tow rope. The wakeboarder attempted to perform a trick by flipping the board over while underway. The board came down on his right leg causing the leg to break between his knee and his ankle. The operator brought the wakeboarder back to their dock and he was transported by ambulance to the hospital. Life jackets were being worn, and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0063
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2018-08-07 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:50:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Big Turtle
NearestCityorTown: Talmoon
County: Itasca
WaterConditions: Unknown
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fire/explosion (fuel)
AccidentCause1: Failure to vent
AccidentCause2: Ignition of spilled fuel or vapor
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
Deputies were called to a boat explosion on the lake. Caller later reported that all occupants (4) were out of the watercraft and accounted for. The watercraft continued to burn and later was a Total Loss. The boat was later pulled back to the Arcadia Resort boat launch.

The Deputy arrived on scene and spoke with the operator. Operator advised the watercraft was just filled with 24 gallons of gasoline at the resort gas dock. As the watercraft left the dock, it proceeded approximately 900-1100 feet from shore, where it was experiencing motor issues. The operator was talking to the adult passenger about this matter. The watercraft was not able to make it on plane. At this time, the adult passenger was behind the operator and the other two passengers were across the inboard area (rear) of the watercraft. At this time, the engine compartment exploded and the three passengers suffered 1st and 2nd degree burns to their shin and feet area. All occupants jumped into the water and later were assisted by bystanders. The watercraft continued to burn to the waterline. They were taken to shore and the three injured passengers were taken by private vehicle to the hospital. All were wearing life jackets and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0064
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-08-07 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Net
NearestCityorTown: Nickerson
County: Pine
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
At 10:53 p.m., Deputy responded to a report of a man (Operator #1) who was having back pain resulting from an accident earlier in the day involving two personal watercraft. As first responders were assessing the injured party, the deputy talked to other parties at the residence. No one had witnessed the incident but the deputy was informed that a female (Operator #2) was involved. The deputy spoke with Operator #2 and asked what happened. Operator #2 stated she was driving one of the personal watercraft while Operator #1 was driving another PWC and they were pulling up to shore directly behind the house. Operator #2 stated Operator #1 was sitting on his PWC about 30 feet from shore and she believed she hit the throttle on her PWC by mistake and bumped into PWC #1. She stated that she did not believe Operator #1 jumped off his PWC before it was hit by PWC #2, but was not sure because it all happened so fast. Operator #2 stated she had very little experience operating a PWC. She said the incident happened about 7:30 p.m.

On 8/9/18, the deputy spoke with Operator #1. He stated he was sitting on his PWC (idling) when he saw PWC #2 coming toward him. He said that Operator #2 was not familiar with operating a PWC and did not know it had to stay running to control it so he felt it was his fault for not teaching her more about operating the PWC. Operator #1 stated that he went to jump off PWC #1 but did not jump far enough and his back hit the foot rest area of his PWC. He was not sure if PWC #2 bumped into his PWC at all because everything happened so fast.

Life jackets were being worn at the time of the incident. There was no damage to either craft. It is unknown if alcohol was a factor because the incident was not reported right away.


BARDID: MN-2018-0065
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-08-13 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:48:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Shorewood
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Weather
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft operator and owner were on the sailboat during a race in East Upper Lake on Lake Minnetonka. A gust of wind caused the boom of the sailboat to change direction quickly and struck the owner on the head above the right eye. The blow from the boom knocked her into the water and the operator was able to get her back in the boat. A man in another boat saw the incident happen and came over and had the injured owner get in his boat to be transported to Water Patrol Headquarters. She had a shirt pressed to her head and told deputies that she never lost consciousness. An ice pack was applied until paramedics arrived and transported her to the hospital for stitches and evaluation. Life jackets were being worn and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0066
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2018-08-11 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:11:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Crane
NearestCityorTown: Crane Lake Township
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Operator inattention
AccidentCause3: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was stationary, fishing, when it was struck by Watercraft #2. Operator of Watercraft #2 states he did not see WC #1 until he had already collided with it. Life jackets were being worn in WC #1. WC #2 had them available, but they were not being worn. There were no injuries. Both boats received damage and WC #2 was a total loss. Op. #1 had not been drinking and Op. #2 denied he had been drinking when deputies located him well afterwards.


BARDID: MN-2018-0067
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-02 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:14:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Orono
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Collision with fixed object
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Sheriff's Office received a report of a hit and run boating accident. A witness at the scene stated he had observed Watercraft #1 pulling out of a restaurant boating channel too fast when the back of his boat swung out hitting WC #2 on the side. The impact from WC #1 knocked WC #2 into the dock, breaking a chunk of wood. WC #1 accelerated to clear the area and almost ran into another boat in the channel. Another witness had taken a picture of WC #1 and it's operator in Excelsior Bay. The deputy was unable to locate the boat and asked the witness to send him the picture so he could ID the operator if he located the boat. They checked the registered owner's house and the boat was not there. At 2207, the deputy located the boat and operator, which matched the descriptions he had been given. At 2213 hours, he stopped the boat and asked the operator if he knew why he was being stopped. He said he didn't know. The deputy told him that he had hit a boat and the operator stated "I didn't think I did any damage when I hit the boat." Deputy told him it was his responsibility to stop and identify himself after an accident and issued him a citation for leaving the scene of the accident. There were no injuries and Operator #1 was not wearing a life jacket. Alcohol may have been a factor but no BAC was obtained.


BARDID: MN-2018-0068
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-08-08 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:59:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Orono
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
On 8/9/18 at approximately 1432 hours, the deputy received a call from the owner of Watercraft #1 regarding an accident that had occurred the previous day. She stated she had spoken with a different deputy the day before but she did not want a report filed at that time. After speaking with Operator of WC #2, she had changed her mind and now wanted a report filed.

She stated that on 8/8/18, she was anchored on the south side of Big Island near Veteran's Cove. She and all her passengers were on/near the shoreline swimming, when she noticed a Metro Lakes pontoon boat (WC #2) driving towards her boat. She was afraid the pontoon boat was going to drive over her anchor line so she started waving her arms and yelling to get Operator #2's attention. She was unsuccessful. She then jumped into the water and started swimming towards her boat that was anchored a little off shore. She stated she saw WC #2 pass by the bow of her boat heading west bound towards Excelsior. WC #2 then spun around in a clockwise direction and started heading out away from the island. She stated the rear corner of WC #2 came very close to the starboard side of her boat but she couldn't see if it made contact. As she got to her boat, WC #2 was leaving the area. As Operator #1 boarded her boat, an unknown boater nearby told her that the pontoon boat had hit her boat. Operator #1 checked the starboard side of her bow and found two large scratches and a chip in the fiberglass. 

Operator #1 called 911 and spoke with a deputy and stated she did not want a report until she spoke with Operator #2. She called Metro Lakes Marina to get the name and number of the person who had rented the pontoon boat. She then spoke with the person who had rented WC #2 and he advised her that a relative was actually driving the boat. She spoke with the relative who had been operating the pontoon boat and he stated he was confident that he did not hit her boat. At this point, Operator #1 decided to get a full police report filed.

The Deputy spoke with Operator #2. Op. #2 stated that he was going to anchor by Big Island. He said he went approximately 3 feet from another person's boat, later identified as WC #1. He said that he doesn't think he hit the other watercraft, that he just came close.

It is unknown if life jackets were being worn on WC #2. There were no injuries and it is unknown if alcohol was a factor.


BARDID: MN-2018-0069
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-07-20 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:10:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Excelsior
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fall in vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
A passenger was walking down a set of steps that led to the cabin area of the boat. While walking down, she slipped on the steps and cut her leg. Occupants on the watercraft used a cloth as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. Injured party was transported by ambulance to the hospital. Life jackets were not being worn. Alcohol was a factor. Operator was arrested for BWI. Another passenger was arrested for obstruction.


BARDID: MN-2018-0070
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-08-25 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:42:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Red Wing
County: Goodhue
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was approaching the gas dock at a marina. Watercraft #2 was fleeting barges up river from the marina. WC #2 was pushed up to a barge and hooking up with the tug in gear keeping tension on the barge. The backwash from WC #2 ended up going in the direction of the marina and WC #1. The current from the backwash pushed WC #1 into the docks causing damage to the dock and WC #1. Four people on the docks at the marina were attempting to hold WC #1 away from the dock to avoid more damage. The deputy spoke to the operator of the tug (WC #2) and he said they were too close to the marina and they normally don't fleet barges that close to the marina. Operator #2 was not aware that the backwash/wake was causing an issue at the marina. There were no injuries associated with the incident and alcohol was not a factor. Life jackets were not being worn.


BARDID: MN-2018-0071
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-08-23 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Fountain
NearestCityorTown: Albert Lea
County: Freeborn
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with commercial vessel
AccidentEvent2: Falls overboard
AccidentEvent3: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: People on gunwale, bow, or transom
AccidentCause2: Weather
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
A witness, who was assisting with the dredge operation stated that: Watercraft #1 (a pontoon boat) was tied to the dock. The dredge (entered as WC #2) was operating and the lake bottom gave out under the dock, causing the dock and WC #1 to be free floating. The dredger was shut down and stopped at that point. The owner of WC #1 came out, got on WC #1 and unmoored the front of the pontoon boat. It was breezy, and the front of WC #1 started to drift towards the dredger. The witness got into a flat bottom boat to assist in getting WC #1 away from the dock and out of the area. A mooring line was thrown to Owner #1, who was now standing on the back of the boat, near the boarding steps. The witness stated he believed the front of WC #1 then hit the front of the dredger near the hydraulic lines, just enough to knock Owner #1 off balance. He fell into the water at the front of the dredger. When the owner tried to get up, the witness saw a large laceration on the man's leg. He helped the injured man into the flat bottom boat and brought him to shore. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Life jackets were not being worn and alcohol was not a factor. There was no damage to WC #1 or the dredge.


BARDID: MN-2018-0072
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2018-09-09 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:10:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: East Bass
NearestCityorTown: Cotton
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentEvent2: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent3: Person departed vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator was taking his boat out for a ride for the last time before putting it away for the winter. He explained to the deputy that he had grown up on the lake and knew where the water hazards were, specifically a shallow water rock out in front of the residence. The rock was approximately a foot underneath the water's surface, marked by a buoy (which may have possibly moved during a recent storm). Operator explained that he went to travel around the rock going approximately five to ten mph when he struck the rock. He said that the boat then began taking on water. He had stayed in the boat during the crash. After the boat filled up with water and started to sink, he grabbed a PFD and jumped out of the boat to swim towards shore. A witness at the residence observed the operator swimming toward shore and rescued him with her kayak as he was struggling to keep his head above water. He was released uninjured after being evaluated by medical staff. The boat was later removed from the water.


BARDID: MN-2019-0001
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-04-25 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 22:25:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: White Bear
NearestCityorTown: Dellwood
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent2: Capsizing
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Weather
AccidentCause2: Hazardous waters
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was moving while occupants were bow fishing. Watercraft began taking on water due to strong winds and large waves. The boat capsized sending the occupants into the water. The boat then sank. The occupants of the boat were able to swim to shore. There were no injuries and alcohol was not a factor. Life jackets were not being worn at the time of the incident. The watercraft owners were advised to have the boat recovered the following day.


BARDID: MN-2019-0002
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-04-29 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:38:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Lake Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Wayzata
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft operator lost control with the tiller handle and the operator was thrown overboard. A witness called 911 and the deputy rescued the man from the water. He was transported to the hospital for treatment of possible hypothermia. Life jacket was on board and accessible, but was not worn. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2019-0003
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-05-05 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:38:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: St Cloud
County: Stearns
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: -1
HazardousWaters: -1
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Capsizing
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Hazardous waters
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Two kayakers (in separate kayaks) departed from shore and intended to maneuver the river during high water and a strong current. The area which was attempted is very hazardous with numerous underwater and above water obstructions. 

Operator #1 entered the area and capsized in a whirlpool, turning over several times and was unable to get free. Operator #1 was pulled from the whirlpool by another kayaker and taken to shore. Operator #2 attempted to maneuver the same area and capsized and fell overboard and was able to float/swim to shore further downstream in calm water. Both operators were wearing Type I PFDs when the incident occurred. Operator #1 was taken by private party to the St. Cloud Hospital and treated for hypothermia. Operator #2 was not treated for any injuries. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2019-0004
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-05-12 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:16:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Island
NearestCityorTown: Rochert
County: Becker
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Unknown
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Two "witnesses" said they observed a fishing boat traveling along the lake and shortly thereafter they observed the motorboat traveling around in circles, unoccupied. One of the witnesses said he could see someone in the water struggling and that it appeared that the victim was attempting to grab for the unoccupied motorboat while it continued making circles around him. They went to assist the victim and when they arrived near him, they saw he was floating face first in the water and unresponsive. Two other witnesses assisted with the rescue. They explained that they were on the shore with the victim prior to the incident and that they were on a fishing trip together. 

The victim was the only occupant in the boat and he was taking his boat over to the resort access to load it up. They observed the victim leaving and one witness said a short time later he heard the boat motor die down and that's when he observed the motorboat unoccupied on the water. Both of those witnesses jumped into their boat and went to the scene. They met the other two witnesses at the scene. One of the second set of witnesses said he immediately got into the victim's unoccupied boat and shut it down. The first two witnesses attempted to pull the victim into the boat but were having difficulties. The witness in the victim's boat assisted and the three were able to pull the victim from the water and into the boat. 
.
CPR was started immediately and they headed to the public access. CPR continued at the access and deputies and paramedics arrived and took over. Life Flight arrived and took him to the hospital where he later passed away. None of the witnesses actually saw the man fall out of the boat, so it is unknown what caused him to fall overboard. Life jackets were on board, but the victim was not wearing one. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2019-0005
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2019-05-12 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 07:10:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Leech
NearestCityorTown: Walker
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Operator inattention
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Deputy was dispatched to the boat landing at the Stony Point Campground in Turtle Lake Township for the report of a boat accident. Upon speaking with both parties, they were near the area of Little Stony Point on the lake. Operator #1 had just arrived at the location and deployed his trolling motor in preparation to fish. His boat was just drifting at the time of the incident. 

Operator #2 was driving his boat in the area and did not see WC #1. Operator #2 added that there were many boats in the area. WC #2 struck WC #1 on the right side. Operator #2 said that he was traveling approximately 25 mph at the time of impact. There were no injuries and no one was thrown into the water. Life jackets were being worn in WC #1 but not in WC #2. Alcohol was not a factor. Both watercraft received damage and WC #1 was totaled.


BARDID: MN-2019-0006
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2019-05-16 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:28:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Diamond
NearestCityorTown: Dayton
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fire/explosion (fuel)
AccidentCause1: Failure to vent
AccidentCause2: Ignition of spilled fuel or vapor
AccidentCause3: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Ventilation
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
The boat was tied to the dock and had just been filled with gas. The battery was dead and the blower could not run. The would-be operator tried to jump start the boat with a jump pack. The boat exploded and started on fire. It was a Total Loss. There were no injuries and a life jacket was not being worn. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2019-0007
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2019-05-17 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:38:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Comfort
NearestCityorTown: Wyoming
County: Chisago
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fire/explosion (fuel)
AccidentCause1: Failure to vent
AccidentCause2: Ignition of spilled fuel or vapor
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator had just launched boat at the public access. Operator stated she backed the boat off the trailer, put the boat in drive and slowly started to increase the throttle. Driver stated she then heard a loud bang. She saw smoke and fire coming from the engine compartment of the boat. The operator grabbed a throwable PFD and the passenger grabbed a life vest and both moved to the front of the boat. A passing boat came to pick up both parties and brought them to shore. Boat proceeded to burn until the fire department arrived. The boat was a total loss. The passenger was treated for a burn. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2019-0008
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2019-05-17 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 19:46:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Big Pine
NearestCityorTown: Perham
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fire/explosion (unknown origin)
AccidentEvent2: Flooding/swamping
AccidentEvent3: Sinking
AccidentCause1: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Engine
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator was driving the watercraft for the first time of the season from the public access to his residence. He was about 2/3 of the way across the lake when he smelled something burning (like plastic). He stopped the engine and opened up the hatch where the motor was housed. Smoke immediately began rolling out of the compartment. He used his fire extinguisher to try to put out the fire but it had little effect. The fire extinguisher was used until empty. The operator was the lone occupant of the boat and was assisted by some local fishermen. They continued to try and put out the fire but flames became large and they feared the boat, which was full of gas, would explode. They removed themselves from the area and waited for Perham Fire and Rescue to come to the scene. Perham Fire attempted to put out the fire but it continued to burn. The boat eventually sank to the bottom of the lake. No injuries occurred in the process and the operator was able to make it back to his residence safely. A life jacket was not being worn and alcohol was not a factor. The boat was recovered on 5/21/19. It is a Total Loss.


BARDID: MN-2019-0010
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-05-20 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:23:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Lake of the Woods
NearestCityorTown: Baudette
County: Lake of the Woods
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Improper loading
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
The Sheriff's Office received a call about a boating incident resulting in one person in the water. It occurred in the Zipple Bay area of Lake of the Woods, 1 mile west of Zipple Bay Jetty. The sheriff responded to the incident, as well as Baudette Fire/Rescue and Baudette Ambulance. The sheriff learned that one of the passengers of the boat had fallen out of the boat and into the water while attempting to reach for a minnow bucket. 

The man was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident but was provided a life jacket after falling into the water. The other passenger had wrapped the life jacket around the man in the water to keep him afloat. He was in the water for 30-35 minutes before being assisted back into boat. He was transported by boat to a resort and then was loaded into the ambulance and transported to the hospital. He was treated for hypothermia. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2019-0011
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-05-26 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:57:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Pelican
NearestCityorTown: Orr
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Restricted vision
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1, with three occupants, was cruising southbound on the lake between two islands just out of Orr Bay. Operator #1 estimated he was going about 20 mph. Watercraft #2 was drifting in between the islands while the two occupants were fishing. Operator #1 stated he could not see WC #2 as his two juvenile passengers blocked the view. 

Neither of the passengers told Operator #1 about WC #2. WC #1 struck the rear port side of WC #2 and rode down the port side of the boat. The front passenger of WC #1 was thrown into the water and was quickly recovered without injury. 

The passenger in WC #2 had small cuts to her leg from the windshield breaking during the collision. She refused any medical treatment at the time. Life jackets were not being worn in WC #1. Both occupants of WC #2 were wearing life jackets. Alcohol was not a factor. Watercraft #1 received some scratches. Watercraft #2 had severe damage to the upper hull and port windshield.


BARDID: MN-2019-0012
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-05-30 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 23:50:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Crane
NearestCityorTown: Crane Lake
County: St. Louis
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Poor
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
The operator of Watercraft #1 stated he and three others were traveling back from a bingo game just before midnight. He said he couldn't see due to the darkness and no lighting around the shore. He said he tried using his fish finder to navigate but ended up running into Watercraft #2 which was tied to a dock, unoccupied. 

He stated he hit it going under 10 mph. No one was hurt or thrown into the water. Operator #1 came back in the morning and made contact with WC #2 owner. Damage to WC #2 was in the rear left side. There were scrapes to the front of WC #1. WC #2 was knocked free from the dock ties when hit and was left floating up against the shore rocks. Life jackets were being worn in WC #1. It is unknown if alcohol was a factor since it was reported the following morning.


BARDID: MN-2019-0013
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-06-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 01:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Cross
NearestCityorTown: Crosslake
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Unknown
Visibility: Poor
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Collision with fixed object
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #2 was returning from the lake and entered the channel where Watercraft #1 was on a lift. WC #2 had been hung up on a sandbar the previous day, so took this return trip closer to the east side. While navigating through the channel, WC #2 drifted too close to the lift WC #1 was set on and struck WC #1 swim platform with the driver console on WC #2, which ripped the windshield off and shattered the glass of WC #2. WC #1 had a bent swim platform and a ripped boat cover. WC #2 then proceeded forward and hit into WC #1's dock. The front section of dock got knocked into the water and WC #2 got a gouge in the gunwale right next to the driver's seat. There were no injuries and alcohol was not a factor. Life jackets were not being worn. The incident was not reported to the County Sheriff until later in the morning.


BARDID: MN-2019-0014
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-06-07 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:00:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Little Vanose
NearestCityorTown: Fosston
County: Mahnomen
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentEvent2: Grounding
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Weather
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Victim was riding his family's personal watercraft on the lake. He was not wearing a life jacket nor was there one on board. He also did not have the cut off tether attached to himself while riding. He was last seen at approximately 2000 hours when he went out on the lake by himself to ride the PWC. After approximately 45 minutes, other individuals on the land did not see him riding on the lake and went to go look for him. After searching the lake, approximately 20 minutes later they found the PWC, on the east side of the lake, pushed up to the shore unoccupied and running. The conditions for the day were windy and sunny. Law enforcement responded and searched the lake until approximately 0230 hours on 6/8/19. The search then continued on 6/8/19 at approximately 0530 hours. At approximately 1414 hours the body of the victim was located at the bottom on the lake in approximately 14 feet of water. Alcohol was not a factor in the incident.


BARDID: MN-2019-0015
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-05-21 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:25:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Louise
NearestCityorTown: Longville
County: Cass
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Strong
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Unknown
DayofWeek: Tuesday
RedactedNarrative:
A man was found deceased in the water next to his boat in approximately three feet of water. He was found face down in the water. A fishing pole was located approximately 15 feet east of the boat. West winds were blowing and the boat and victim were located on the west side of the lake. There was no damage to the boat. The incident was unwitnessed. It is not known what caused the man to fall overboard. A life jacket was not being worn. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2019-0016
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-05-31 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Orono
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator #1 and Operator #2 were operating personal watercraft across the bay. Watercraft #1 was in front and Watercraft #2 was following. 

WC #1 made a sharp 90 degree right turn and slowed. Operator #2 attempted to avoid hitting him but did not have enough time to turn. 

WC #2 collided with Operator #1 and his PWC on the right side. Both were able to get to the closest point to shore and request help. Both operators received injuries. Operator #1 was transported by ambulance and Operator #2 was transported by his parents to the hospital. Both operators were wearing life jackets. Alcohol was not a factor. WC #1 received very minor damage (scratches) and WC #2 has a cracked hull.


BARDID: MN-2019-0017
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-05-29 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:31:00
CoordinatesConfidence: NC
NameOfBodyOfWater: Lac qui Parle
NearestCityorTown: Milan
County: Chippewa
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Falls overboard
AccidentCause1: Unknown
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
At 1531 hours, Dispatch received a report of an unoccupied boat floating on the lake. There was a life jacket and tackle box in the boat. Lac qui Parle Co Sheriff's office, Chippewa Co Sheriff's office, Swift Co Sheriff's office, Appleton Police Dept., Dawson Ambulance and the Milan Fire Dept. all responded. Upon arrival, the boat was anchored by Chippewa Co officers so it wouldn't drift away from the area. They found registration information with the owner's name in the boat. (There was also a truck and trailer at the public landing registered to the same person.) About that time, Lac qui Parle Co officers received information that a hat and a shoe had been found floating further to the south and on the east side of the lake. LqP officers headed to that area. At approximately 1615 hours, they received information from Milan Fire, who was south of them, that they had located an unresponsive individual in the water. The body was floating in a vertical position with the top of the head above the water's surface. They attached ropes under the arms and brought him to shore. The incident was unwitnessed and it is unknown what caused the man to fall out of his boat or what time the incident occurred. He was not wearing a life jacket and alcohol was not a factor.

Lac qui Parle Co. Sheriff's Office and Chippewa Co. Sheriff's Office jointly completed the Watercraft Accident Report.


BARDID: MN-2019-0018
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-06-15 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:05:00
CoordinatesConfidence: C
NameOfBodyOfWater: George
NearestCityorTown: Oak Grove
County: Anoka
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person departed vessel
AccidentEvent2: Collision with floating object
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
AccidentCause2: Operator inattention
AccidentCause3: Machinery failure
MachineryFailure: Engine
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was drifting. A passenger decided to take off his life jacket and go in the water to swim. While swimming, the passenger started to struggle to keep up with the drifting boat. The operator attempted to restart the boat but it was not working. The operator attempted to rescue the passenger by swimming a tube out to him. The operator then started to struggle in the water as well. He was able to self-rescue with the tube. The passenger was then seen going under water and did not resurface. The operator later found a section of rope was sucked into one of the impellers. He was able to get one of the engines started and get the boat back to shore. The county marine unit responded to the lake and spent two days working with sonar and located and recovered the victim. Alcohol and drugs were a factor in the incident, however, it is unknown if the operator had been drinking.


BARDID: MN-2019-0019
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-06-06 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 20:00:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Le Homme Dieu
NearestCityorTown: Alexandria
County: Douglas
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Force of wake/wave
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator stated he was operating a PWC on the lake and hit a big wave that came from another boat. He said he was going fast and flew off the PWC hitting his left bicep on the left mirror of the PWC and landed in the water. The mirror shattered when he hit it, causing minor cuts on his bicep. He was treated by ambulance personnel, but denied any further medical treatment. He was wearing a life jacket and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2019-0020
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-07-01 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 15:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Snail
NearestCityorTown: Shoreview
County: Ramsey
WaterConditions: Unknown
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentEvent2: Collision with fixed object
AccidentEvent3: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
AccidentCause2: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Monday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator stated he had 6-8 beers before borrowing the personal watercraft. He was on the lake for about an hour, spinning circles, when he tried to turn a circle close to shore. He could not control the turn and the PWC went straight, striking the shoreline and sliding along the grass until he hit a retaining wall. He fell off the PWC, causing a 6" cut on the top of his head. His skull could be seen and he lost consciousness for a minute. He was wearing a life jacket and the cutoff lanyard at the time of the incident. He was cited for BUI.


BARDID: MN-2019-0021
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2019-06-15 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:45:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Minnetonka
NearestCityorTown: Orono
County: Hennepin
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Fire/explosion (fuel)
AccidentCause1: Ignition of spilled fuel or vapor
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
County Deputies were dispatched to a boat fire in North Arm Bay. Upon arrival at approximately 1705 hours, there was a fully engulfed watercraft. Members of the Long Lake Fire Department were on scene attempting to suppress the flames. Long Lake Fire requested that Water Patrol Deputies use their fire pump to assist suppressing the flames. Deputies assisted for approximately 45 minutes. The watercraft was secured to a dock with four ropes, one on each side of the boat at bow and stern. The watercraft eventually took on water and the stern of the boat sunk to the bottom. 

The fire also caused charring and damage to the dock. While deputies and fire department were suppressing the fire, police and ambulance were caring for the injured operator. He was transported to the hospital. The passenger of the boat was evaluated for burns on scene. He did not go to the hospital. The Deputy spoke to a police officer on scene. 

He was told that prior to the fire, the operator was fueling the watercraft at the dock. After fueling the watercraft, he was having issues starting the boat and placed a power source on the batteries which caused an explosion followed by fire. Life jackets were not being worn at the time of the incident. It is unknown if alcohol was a factor as the deputies were there to help with the fire. The dock received an unknown amount of damage. The boat was a Total Loss.


BARDID: MN-2019-0022
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-06-29 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 22:15:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mille Lacs
NearestCityorTown: Aitkin
County: Aitkin
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Alcohol
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
AccidentCause3: Operator inattention
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator #1 stated he and his passenger had been out fishing and they were on their way into shore when they collided with Watercraft #2. Operator #1 said he didn't see WC #2 because it did not have a rear light on and it was dark at the time of the accident. He estimated he was traveling at approximately 40 mph at the time of the accident. He said they had both front an rear navigation lights on at the time of the accident. While speaking with Operator #1, the deputy noticed the odor of an alcoholic beverage. Life jackets were not being worn and there were no injuries. The front end of WC #1 was dented and there was a gouge in the aluminum down the starboard side. Operator #1 was arrested for BWI.  His BAC was .15

Operator #2 stated he and his two passengers were on their way into shore from fishing when the accident occurred. He said he didn't see WC #2 crossing their path until the last minute. He said when he saw them he felt like they were going to get broadsided so he hit the gas to try to get out of the way. After the collision, his motor was disabled. He said that WC #1 then came and towed them to shore. He estimated that he was traveling at approximately 20-22 mph at the time of the crash.  He said he had the front and rear lights on at the time of the accident, however, during the collision that the rear light was broken off. He was unsure if WC #1 had their lights on at the time of the crash because it happened so fast. WC #1 lights were on when they turned around to help WC #2. Operator #2 showed no signs of alcohol. Life jackets were being worn and there were no injuries. There was heavy damage to the motor and the transom of the boat. The deputy also noticed the rear light plug in base of WC #2. The light base was open and damaged.

Deputies talked to the boat operators at the Red Door Resort. The accident was reported to have occurred close to an area of the lake called the "bumps." The approximate GPS location of this is 46* 20.706'N and 93* 38.403'W. This area is approximately 1.3 miles SE of the Resort.


BARDID: MN-2019-0023
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-06-30 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Pelican
NearestCityorTown: Pelican Rapids
County: Otter Tail
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Operator inattention
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
DayofWeek: Sunday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #1 was coming into the public access to load onto the trailer. Watercraft #2 had just unloaded from the trailer and was backing onto the lake. WC #1 collided with WC #2 causing very minor damage to WC #1 and some damage to WC #2. Operator #1 admitted he wasn't watching and didn't see WC #2. Life jackets were not being worn in either boat. There were no injuries. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2019-0024
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-07-04 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 11:24:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Little Cormorant
NearestCityorTown: Audubon
County: Becker
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Unknown
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Operator inexperience
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Operator pushed throttle on the personal watercraft causing the passenger to fall off backwards into the lake. Both were wearing life jackets. The passenger denies striking the PWC, stating he just hit the water hard. He was brought to shore where he lost consciousness. Medics were called. He was transported to the hospital by ambulance.


BARDID: MN-2019-0025
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-06-28 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 10:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Lake of the Woods
NearestCityorTown: Baudette
County: Lake of the Woods
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentCause1: Improper lookout
AccidentCause2: Operator inattention
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft #2 was backing out of a dock slip while Watercraft #1 was driving by. WC #2 backed into WC #1, causing a small dent on the side of WC #1. Life jackets were not being worn in either boat. There were no injuries and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2019-0026
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-07-05 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:33:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Lake of the Woods
NearestCityorTown: Baudette
County: Lake of the Woods
WaterConditions: Choppy
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: Moderate
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Grounding
AccidentEvent2: Flooding/swamping
AccidentCause1: Unknown
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
Deputies received a report of a boat that was stranded on the shore of Pine Island. When they arrived at the island they spoke to the boat operator. He stated that the boat had been under power when he heard a loud noise from the engine area. He said the boat stopped operating and he noticed water rushing into the back of the boat. The boat was starting to sink. He got the boat to shore, where it continued to fill with water. He said he had recently had the boat in the shop for a repair. There were three passengers on the boat at the time of the incident. All were wearing life jackets and there were no injuries. The operator stated he had consumed two beers earlier in the day. There was no sign of impairment. The deputy stated his investigation lead him to believe that the operator either grounded the boat when he had it under power or the boat's drive shaft broke, causing a hole in the boat. The operator was advised of the time frame to remove the submerged boat from the water.


BARDID: MN-2019-0027
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-07-03 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 12:09:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Pelican
NearestCityorTown: Breezy Point
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft was pulling a skier. The boat was travelling at 25 mph when the skier made a really hard cut and hit the water. The ski possibly hit the skier in his side, resulting in injury. Life jackets were being worn by all. Alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2019-0028
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-07-04 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 16:39:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Alexander
NearestCityorTown: Cushing
County: Morrison
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Other
OtherAccidentEvent: Person struck by vsl equipment
AccidentCause1: Equipment failure
EquipmentFailure: Other
OtherEquipmentFailure: ski tower
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft with five people was pulling a tube. The watercraft was equipped with a ski tower. The tower was only bolted in on one side. Pressure from tubing caused the bolt to break and the tower fell down and hit a young passenger on the head. She was transported to the hospital. Life jackets were being worn and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2019-0029
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-07-05 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 21:15:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Perch
NearestCityorTown: Baxter
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Person struck by vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
DayofWeek: Friday
RedactedNarrative:
The personal watercraft was coming toward shore at approximately 10-15 mph. There was a man standing in the water on the shoreline. The operator could not stop and the PWC hit the man in the leg. He was taken to the emergency room and released that night. The PWC operator was not injured. He was wearing a life jacket and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2019-0030
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-07-06 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 14:13:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Roosevelt
NearestCityorTown: Emily
County: Crow Wing
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Skier mishap
AccidentCause1: Other
OtherAccidentCause: Passenger/skier behavior
DayofWeek: Saturday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft with five occupants was pulling a skier. The skier tried to get up on a slalom ski. In doing so, the skier pulled a hamstring. He floated on his back to shore, where EMS personnel took care of him. All involved were wearing life jackets and alcohol was not a factor.


BARDID: MN-2019-0031
State: MN
AVesselLoss: -1
Date: 2019-06-26 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 18:46:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Mississippi
NearestCityorTown: Red Wing
County: Goodhue
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: 0
Wind: No wind
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with fixed object
AccidentCause1: Machinery failure
AccidentCause2: Dam/lock
MachineryFailure: Engine
DayofWeek: Wednesday
RedactedNarrative:
Watercraft with two occupants was waiting for southbound lockage at Lock and Dam #3. While waiting, the motor began to sputter. The operator put the boat into neutral and the motor stalled out. Operator tried to start the watercraft. The watercraft began drifting toward the Lock and Dam #3 roller gates. The operator and passenger grabbed oars on the boat and tried to row the watercraft. A safety boat operated by staff at Lock and Dam #3 responded to assist. The safety boat advised the operator to throw out the anchors. The operator threw out the anchors but they didn't hold. The watercraft made contact with what they thought was Roller Gate #2. Both occupants of the watercraft were wearing life jackets and they safely made it onto the safety boat. The watercraft then went into the roller gates submerged causing heavy damage to the watercraft. The watercraft was a Total Loss.

There were no injuries associated with this incident. Alcohol was not a factor. Tow Boat USA responded and towed the disabled watercraft. Lock and Dam #3 reported that the roller gate was down 2 feet from the surface of the water.


BARDID: MN-2019-0032
State: MN
AVesselLoss: 0
Date: 2019-07-04 00:00:00
Time: 1899-12-30 13:30:00
NameOfBodyOfWater: Forest
NearestCityorTown: Forest Lake
County: Washington
WaterConditions: Calm
StrongCurrent: 0
HazardousWaters: 0
CongestedWaters: -1
Wind: Light
Visibility: Good
AccidentEvent1: Collision with recreational vessel
AccidentEvent2: Person ejected from vessel
AccidentCause1: Excessive speed
AccidentCause2: Improper lookout
AccidentCause3: Navigation rules violation
DayofWeek: Thursday
RedactedNarrative:
Deputy was patrolling the lake when he was flagged down by a boat reporting a collision with a PWC. The deputy made contact with the operator of Watercraft #2. She stated that she was driving along and that a personal watercraft (Watercraft #1) had struck the left bow of her watercraft. She stated that the boys (Operator #1 and his passenger) on the PWC were not looking and that they just ran into the side and rolled. She reported that there were not any injuries on her watercraft (WC #2) and that the boys said they were not hurt, got back on their PWC apologetically and took off. Operator #1's sister remained in the area and identified the boys and where they went. The deputy inspected the damage to WC #2. It showed damage to the left bow fiberglass, with scuffs and indentations.

The deputy proceeded to Operator #1's location. The deputy asked if he had any injuries and Operator #1 stated he did not. The deputy asked him to explain what had happened. Operator #1 stated that they were sitting by the channel and that he was getting a gas card from another PWC. When he went to take off, he was looking to the left and turning and then moments later collided with the boat, rolling the PWC and being ejected. He stated that the boat was very close and it happened very quickly. The deputy inspected the damage to WC #1. It had a broken fin and scratches to the gel coat on the bottom.

A witness came to the dock at Operator #1's property. He stated that he had observed the collision. He stated that he watched WC #2 moving fast and that WC #1 took off and collided in the side of WC #2.

The deputy then went to talk to Operator #2 again. He asked her about her speed, the speed of WC #1 and her distance. Operator #2 responded that she was coming back up to plane after stopping to try to find a place to pass through the traffic. She stated that the PWC was stopped off to her left and they were maybe 35 feet from them when the collision happened. The deputy advised Operator #2 that a citation for operating a boat in a careless and heedless manner would be mailed to her, because of the distance at which she came to the PWC and the speed she was traveling at.

Life jackets were being worn on WC #1. It is unknown if they were used on WC #2.


