On Sunday June 3rd at approximately 5:30 pm central time, subjects were headed back to  Ocheesee landing on the Apalachicola River.  While traveling at approximately 50 mph the cable connecting the steering mechanism on the port side  of the vessel broke at the junction where the two pieces are connected. This failure caused the vessel to veer sharply right ejecting both the operator and passenger.    

The vessel was equipped with a kill switch which was tethered to the operator  when he was ejected the vessel shut down. it continued it's path to the bank of river causing minimal damage to the hull.  Both occupants suffered serious non life threatening  injuries and were airlifted to Tallahassee Memorial hospital as a precautionary measure. They both received urgent medical care for scrapes and cuts. Occupant had a fractured ankle and broken leg.  They both were released from the hospital after two days. They both admitted to drinking earlier in the day but showed no signs of impairment.  Witnesses also calibrate that the alcohol consumptions was minimal and done several hours before the accident. There were no signs of alcoholic beverages on board the vessel.;:Operator had a very hard impact into the water from a very high speed causing trauma to his upper chest area. There were no broken bones but some bruising to the upper chest area. He had a deep laceration to the left leg but showed no other obvious injuries.; Occupant was ejected from the vessel and broke her leg and fractured her ankle when impacting the water. She also had water burns to her legs from skidding across the water at a high speed.

ALTHA                         