RedactedNarrative: On 11/14/2022, I Cpl. 1, received a chain of emails in reference to a boat accident in McIntosh County, GA.  I first spoke with V1 Operator.  V1 Operator said he was in the Intracoastal Waterway headed south near the Creighton Narrows.  V1 Operator was following a previous track he had as well as tracks with his autopilot engaged.  V1 Operator encountered a boat that was northbound also in the Intracoastal Waterway.  V1 Operator said he was towards the middle of the channel as there is a turn in the channel and a sandbar near Red Day marker 158A.  He said the person operating the JV2 was maybe 100 feet ahead when turned across his bow.  V1 Operator said he was running his autopilot but was sure he had taken over as the vessels neared each other.  He said his wife was on the bow of the boat just before the accident.  I asked V1 Operator what time of day this accident occurred, and he said it was 10:45 AM and clear weather.  I asked him the speed and he said he was moving southbound at around 7 knots.  V1 Operator sent me GPS tracks from that day.  He said the Captain of the V2, V2 Operator, was not very cooperative after the incident and claimed the V1 was going to run him into the shoaling.
  
  	I spoke with V2 Operator.  V2 Operator was operating the vessel V2.  V2 Operator said he was northbound in the Intracoastal  Waterway approaching the day marker 158A when he noticed the V1 southbound taking up most of the channel.  V2 Operator said he was being pushed towards the shoaling on his right in the narrow waterway by the V1. After trying to contact the incoming vessel on the VHF radio, V2 Operator said he made a left hand turn in front of the V1 to avoid hitting the shoals.  He said he noticed a female on the bow of the V1 heading towards the vessels wheel house.  V2 Operator said the other boat made a turn in his direction.  He said he did not notice anyone in the wheel house of the V1.  V2 Operator took some photographs of the boat just before contact was made. He says there isn't anyone at the wheel of the V1.  I have included the photographs with this report.  V2 Operator said he felt like he was going to either be struck or be forced aground had he not made the left turn to pass starboard to starboard.  He said the boats were approximately 100 feet apart when he made the turn.  The V1 struck the rear starboard side of the V2.  V2 Operator said the Capt. of the V1 admitted to him he was running auto-pilot and had it set on a previously made track.  
  
  	I received photographs of both vessels from both parties involved.  I have attached the photographs of both vessels as well as some others taken just before and after the accident.  The photographs show the damage sustained in the accident being consistent with both statements.  Neither vessel remained on scene and this report was generated based off both party’s statements given over the phone.  Based off the statements given I cannot determine an at fault vessel. While the V2 did cut across the bow of the V1 it sounds as if it was to avoid grounding caused by V1 not giving up the proper side of the waterway.  This is backed up by the tracks given to me by V1 Operator which shows his track moving up the center of the channel in a narrow waterway. *** This is a statement V2 Operator gave to the owner of the V2.
  
  
  
  
  Incident details per V2 Operator, vessel operator and time of collision:
  
  While northbound and approaching 160 red marker south of Creighton Narrows in Georgia an oncoming vessel was approaching from the north and was extremely wide going around the channel marker. Instead of meeting/passing port to Port I was forced to maneuver to a starboard to starboard passing. I tried to reach the oncoming vessel on the radio to tell him he was pushing me into the shallows and th