RedactedNarrative: SYNOPSIS
  
  Park Administrator received a telephone call from an individual who had asked for assistance with his vessel. The caller indicated to Park Administrator that the steering cable on his vessel had broken and the vessel was on shore in some rocks. I was unable to assist with vessel removal. 
  
  NARRATIVE
  
  On Monday, August 23, 2021, I, Ute Lake State Park Superintendent, was working in the Ute Lake Visitor Center office with Park Administrator. Park Administrator received a telephone call from an individual who had asked for assistance with his vessel. Park Administrator informed me that a vessel needed a tow from the Mine Canyon area, and the vessel had a broken steering cable and was on shore in some rocks. I responded to the marina in full uniform to launch a fully marked New Mexico State Parks patrol vessel and proceeded to the location.
  
  Upon arrival to the location, I noticed a vessel completely out of the water. The vessel's stem was approximately three feet from the water's edge up on the shoreline. I beached the park patrol vessel next to the grounded vessel and made contact with two individuals standing on shore next to the grounded vessel. The individuals would later be known as the vessel operator and passenger. I asked Operator and Passenger if anyone was hurt and in need of emergency medical assistance. They said no. 
  
  After an assessment of the area, I asked Operator what had happened. Operator told me that this was the first time he had this vessel on the water in four years and just got it out of storage. Operator then told me that he had just launched and was "just cruising, checking everything out and the steering wheel was a little hard to tum and you had to use both hands to control the steering." Operator then told me that he was operating at approximately 20 miles per hour turning to port. He turned the steering wheel back toward starboard, but the motion of the vessel did not change course and remained on the current direction of travel. Operator then told me that he placed the gear shift lever in the reverse position and accelerated the throttle. The vessel did not shift into reverse and remained in an accelerated forward gear. At that time Passenger jumped out of the vessel, landing in the water approximately 30 feet from shore. A short time later Operator jumped out of the vessel, approximately 10 feet from shore.
  
  Personal information of Operator and Passenger was collected. Photos of the accident site and vessel were taken. Operator was put in contact with a third party for future removal of the vessel from shore. As of August 27, 2021, the vessel was no longer grounded or on park property. No further information at this time.
  