On 9/10/11 at approximately 1722 hours officer of Fort Mojave Tribal Police was dispatched to a multiple injury boat accident on the Colorado River 1.5 miles north of the Avi Hotel and Casino. Officer was advised by medics that two rafts occupied by nine female subjects was struck by a personal watercraft operated by a 12 year old female with one male passenger. At the time of the accident the raft was drifting downstream approximately 10 feet from the west shoreline when it was struck by the personal water craft cruising upstream at an estimated speed of 20 mph. According to witness statements a passenger had jumped off the raft to retreive a shirt. At that point all passengers of the raft were looking upstream at the raft passenger. During this time a PWC was cruising up stream along side of another PWC. During this time Operator1 looked back at occupant taking her eye off the river in front of her. Occupant then noticed the raft and yelled to pay attention but it was too late. The PWC struck the raft coming in contact with multiple passengers. Due to lack of information from witnesses it is unclear how many passengers were actually struck by the PWC. What is known is passenger was the first passenger struck by the PWC. Raft subject suffered massive head, spine, and neck trauma and was transported to Sunrise Medical Center in Las Vegas,NV and passed away on 9/22/11 from her injuries. Three Raft passengers were all transported to the local hospital for treatment of minor injuries and released. Please see full NDOW report for further information.
Laughlin, NV                  