RedactedNarrative: ON 6/5/21, SGT. ADVISED ME THAT A BOATING INCIDENT HAD OCCURRED IN CARTERET COUNTY.  I SPOKE WITH NC MARINE PATROL OFFICER OVER THE PHONE.  HE ADVISED THAT THE TWO VESSEL OPERATORS INVOLVED COULD MEET ME AT THE MOREHEAD CITY ACCESS AREA.  I ARRIVED AT THE MOREHEAD CITY ACCESS AREA AT APPROXIMATELY 3:00 PM WHERE I SPOKE WITH THE TWO VESSEL OPERATORS INVOLVED. 
  THE FOLLOWING IS WHAT THE TWO OPERATORS REPORTED TO ME.  V1 OPERATOR WAS THE OPERATOR OF A 23'' CAROLINA SKIFF.  FOR PURPOSES OF THIS REPORT, THIS VESSEL WILL BE KNOWN AS VESSEL ONE.  V2 OPERATOR WAS THE OPERATOR A 21' CAROLINA SKIFF.  FOR PURPOSES OF THIS REPORT, THIS VESSEL WILL BE KNOWN AS VESSEL TWO.  THERE WERE NO OCCUPANTS ON EITHER VESSEL OTHER THAN THE OPERATORS INVOLVED.  V1 OPERATOR AND V2 OPERATOR HAD BEEN RECREATIONAL CRUISING THAT DAY TOGETHER BUT ON THEIR SEPARATE VESSELS WHEN V2 OPERATOR'S VESSEL, VESSEL TWO, STARTED HAVING ENGINE TROUBLE.  THE TWO INDIVIDUALS DECIDED TO USE VESSEL ONE TO TOW BACK IN VESSEL TWO.  VESSEL ONE WAS TOWING VESSEL TWO BACK TO A PRIVATE RAMP NEAR DUNESCAPE VILLAS.  WHILE V1 OPERATOR WAS USING VESSEL ONE TO TOW VESSEL TWO, HE BECAME DISTRACTED BY ANOTHER VESSEL THAT HE REPORTED WAS FOLLOWING THEM TOO CLOSE.  AS A RESULT OF V1 OPERATOR BEING DISTRACTED, VESSEL ONE RAN AGROUND ON A SANDBAR.  UPON RUNNING AGROUND, VESSEL ONE CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP.  THIS RESULTED IN VESSEL TWO COLLIDING WITH VESSEL ONE.  AS SEEN IN ATTACHED PHOTOGRAPHS, THE PORT (LEFT) SIDE OF THE BOW (FRONT) OF VESSEL TWO ENDED UP RESTING ON THE STERN (BACK) OF VESSEL ONE.  WHEN VESSEL TWO COLLIDED WITH VESSEL ONE, THE OPERATOR OF VESSEL TWO, COLLIDED WITH HIS VESSEL'S CENTER CONSOLE.  THIS RESULTED IN BRUISES ON HIS LEGS NEAR HIS SHINS, AND A BUSTED LOWER LIP.  AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT, V2 OPERATOR'S INJURIES DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL TREATMENT.   
  MARINE PATROL OFFICERS QUICKLY ARRIVED ON SCENE AFTER THE COLLISION.  A YOUNG LADY, WITNESS 1, USED HER VESSEL TO TOW BOTH VESSELS TO THE MOREHEAD CITY ACCESS AREA.  
  I INSPECTED AND PHOTOGRAPHED THE DAMAGE TO BOTH VESSELS.  I OBSERVED THE FOLLOWING DAMAGE TO VESSEL ONE.  THE METAL POLES OF THE T-TOP AND THE CENTER CONSOLE WERE SEPARATED FROM THE FLOOR.  THE MOTOR COWLING WAS BROKEN AND SCRATCHED AND PIECES OF IT WERE IN THE FLOOR OF THE VESSEL.  THE ALUMINUM RAIL ON THE STARBOARD (RIGHT) SIDE OF THE STERN WAS BENT.  THERE WERE PIECES OF LOOSE FIBERGLASS RESTING ON THE STERN THAT POSSIBLY CAME FROM VESSEL TWO.  
  I OBSERVED AND PHOTOGRAPHED SUBSTANTIAL HULL DAMAGE TO VESSEL TWO. THE DAMAGED AREAS WERE ON THE OUTSIDE LIP OF THE GUNWALE AND THE CENTER AND PORT SIDE OF THE HULL.  IN THESE AREAS, THE FIBERGLASS WAS CRACKED AND BROKEN.  NOTHING FURTHER AT THIS TIME.