RedactedNarrative: Operator was operating vessel, LA 6192 FT, a 20.5' Tahoe ski boat northbound on the Tchefuncte River towing his son on a wakeboard. The vessel hit an unknown submerged object in the main channel of the river causing the vessel to pull hard to the starboard side. the vessel then struck two cypress trees on the bank. The force of the impact caused significant fiberglass damage to the starboard bow and stern and damaged the bottom of the hull causing the vessel to begin to fill with water. 
  
  Operator then drove the vessel across the river to prevent it from sinking in the main channel and grounded the vessel on a log adjacent to the bank. Operator was not wearing a PFD, however and adult passenger and 6 juvenile passengers were wearing PFDs at the time of the collision. Alcohol and or drug use is not suspected and Operator was not wearing a kill switch at the time of the incident. Steering type is remote. Type of incident is struck submerged object then collision with fixed object, leading to a flooding of the hull with an international grounding by the captain of the vessel. Contributing factor was a collision with a submerged object.
  