On Saturday July 16, 2011 at about 19:30 while performing a boater assist under tow I was dispatched to a PWC vs. PWC accident with two people still in the water.

After a short search I located a Operator2 sitting on a half submerged PWC.  He stated that he had been involved in a PWC accident but was fine physically and did not need medical attention.  I asked him where the other person and PWC were and he pointed a short distance away at another boat that had a completely submerged PWC in tow.  I contacted said boat, who said he did not witness the accident but picked up Operator1 who was the operator of the second PWC and put the second PWC under tow.   OPERATOR1 when asked if he needed medical attention said he did not.  subject agreed to continue to tow in the second PWC and transport OPERATOR1 into the Provo marina.  I then returned to OPERATOR2 got him aboard my vessel and took his PWC under tow.

When I arrived in the marina I made contact with the owner of the two PWC's and informed him of what happened and asked him to see registrations and proof of insurance.  I also spoke with OPERATOR2 and OPERATOR1 and had them explain what happened.  They both stated that while attempting to spray each other with their wake OPERATOR2 turned left and OPERATOR1 misjudged the distance while also turning left and impacted the midsection of OPERATOR2's PWC about where V2 OCCUPANTS lower leg would be.  All three occupants were thrown from their machines and V2 OCCUPANT immediately started to complain of leg pain.  A subject who was operating a vessel near by heard the yells and responded to the area picked up V2 OCCUPANT and called 911 which went through the Provo dispatch and had Provo EMS respond to the Provo marina where subject brought V2 OCCUPANT.  OPERATOR2 and OPERATOR1 both stated that they had not been drinking and all three occupants had been wearing life jackets at the time of accident.

I then cited OPERATOR2 and OPERATOR1 for failure to obey speed and proximity (J3831138 and J3831146), performed two safety inspections on the PWC'S (29204 and 29205) gathered all additional information and cleared the scene.

END REPORT

Provo                         