V1 WAS ANCHORED BY THE BOW. OCCUPANTS WERE FISHING WHEN THE OPERATOR NOTICED THE BOAT LISTING TO STARBOARD. HE HAD JUST HAD THE BOAT BILGE WORKED ON AND SUSPECTED THAT THE PERSON DOING THE WORK LEFT THE ACCESS PANEL OPEN ON THE TOP OF THE STARBOARD PONTOON. DUE TO THE POSITION OF THE PANEL HE WAS NOT ABLE TO SECURE IT AND THE VOLUME OF WATER COMING IN BECAME TOO MUCH FOR THE BILGE PUMP. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL ALONGSIDE THE BRIDGE PILING AND SECURE THE VESSEL TO IT TO PREVENT IT FROM FURTHER SINKING.
JACKSONVILLE                  