Ico responded to and investigated pwc accident involving 2 pwc's at wells street beach, lake county, in.  The accident consisted of one pwc striking another pwc offshore from the swimming area.  We interviewed the operator and passenger of the pwc that was struck broadside from the left.  Both described a similar scenario in which they were traveling parallel to shore in an easterly fashion outside of the buoyed off area approximately 300 feet offshore.  They were doing so near the eastern edge of wells street beach.  The operator stated he did not really remember how it happened, just that at the last second he saw a black pwc approaching fast on their left, it made contact with their pwc, and all were thrown into the water.  He recovered from the impact, self-rescued, and brought his pwc to shore with help.  He subsequently made it back to his larger boat and called in the accident.  His passenger advised that he remembered seeing the black pwc off to their left and it appeared that operator was operating the pwc they were aboard around the black pwc to pass it on the right side.  In both their statements, they corroborated that they were traveling, without much deviation, in an easterly course parallel to the shoreline.

     we met the owner of the black pwc, at his damaged pwc up on the street as he had already put it on his trailer.  We photographed his damaged black pwc and discovered that he was on shore but did not see the accident.  He advised that they had just arrived to the area at approximately 2:30pm and after about 30 minutes, operator1 asked if he could operate his black pwc.  owner allowed operator1 to take it out with girlfriend, for a ride.  Within minutes, he heard the impact and then discovered what had happened.

     we then traveled down to the damaged yellow pwc.  It was beached and we observed heavy damage to the port side, just aft of the middle of the pwc.  The stern was still in the water and there was a small petroleum-like sheen on the water radiating approximately 3 feet in all directions.  I concluded this to be gasoline and from the small quantity persistent in the immediate waters, that it was not a threat to the neighboring beach goers or the persons at the scene.  In its current condition and with our capabilities at the time, there was nothing more to do.  Cms towing was enroute that had experience in watercraft salvaging and they would have the expertise to extract the vessel from the water with minimal environmental impact.

     i then interviewed the operator of the black pwc, operator1 onshore.  Operator1 advised that he had just got on the black pwc with his girlfriend and was operating offshore.  He stated they were enjoying themselves outside of the buoyed area.  After a short time, operator1 decided to head back to shore.  He was performing one last circular course in a clockwise fashion approximately 300-500 feet offshore when he straightened out and drove towards the beach.  He was on plane at the time and only noticed the yellow pwc on his right at the last moment before impact.  He and his girlfriend were thrown from the pwc.  They both self-rescued and took the black pwc back into shore.

Gary                          