VESSEL 1 WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON THE NEUSE RIVER AND VESSEL 2 WAS TRAVELING SOUTH.  BOTH BOATS WERE 30 FEET OFF THE SHORE LINE APPROX. 100 YARDS ACROSS THE RIVER FROM COWPEN LANDING.  VESSEL 1 WAS TRAVELING AT A SLOWER RATE OF SPEED THAN VESSEL 2.  WHEN VESSEL 1 NOTICED VESSEL 2 HE STEERED TO THE LEFT IN EFFORTS TO GIVE VESSEL 2 MORE ROOM AS HE NOTICED HIM FAST APPROACHING.  VESSEL 2 STEERED TO THE RIGHT FOLLOWING THE RULES OF THE ROAD.  THIS RESULTED IN A COLLISION BETWEEN THE TWO VESSELS.  THE COLLISION TOOK PLACE IN A SLIGHT BEND IN THE RIVER.  WHEN THE BOATS STRUCK EACH OTHER PASSENGERS WERE THROWN INTO THE RIVER DUE TO THE IMPACT.  PFD'S WERE USED BY BOATERS IN EFFORTS TO GET TO THE SHORE OF COWPEN LANDING.  INVESTIGATORS WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF ALCOHOL OR DRUGS WERE A FACTOR DUE TO THE FACT THAT VESSEL 2 OPERATOR LEFT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER.  VESSEL 2 OPERATOR WAS AT HIS RESIDENCE WHEN THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER WAS ABLE TO FIRST QUESTION HIM.  CITATIONS WERE ISSUED TO THE OPERATOR OF BOTH VESSEL 1 AND 2.
VANCEBORO                     