RedactedNarrative: ON JULY 3, 2021, OPERATOR TOOK PASSENGER 1 AND PASSENGER 2 ON A FISHING TRIP IN THE PAMLICO SOUND.  OPERATOR WAS OPERATING A TWENTY-TWO FOOT CAROLINA SKIFF FIBERGLASS MOTOR VESSEL. THE GROUP LAUNCHED THE VESSEL OUT OF JUNIPER BAY BOATING ACCESS AREA AROUND SUNRISE AND HAD BEEN FISHING ALL MORNING PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT TAKING PLACE.  AROUND 1000 THAT MORNING, THE THREE WERE UNDERWAY AROUND ROYAL SHOAL WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILES FROM OCRACOKE ISLAND.  AT THIS TIME, THE OWNER AND OPERATOR NOTICED THAT THE VESSEL WAS LOSING HEADWAY AND HAVING DIFFUCILTY STAYING ON PLANE.  AT THAT TIME, OPERATOR STOPPED THE VESSEL TO DETERMINE POSSIBLE ISSUES.  OPERATOR QUICKLY REALIZED THAT THE VESSEL'S BILGE COMPARTMENT WAS FULL OF WATER AND NOW THE VESSEL WAS BEGINNING TO TAKE ON WAVES OF WATER OVER THE STERN.  OPERATOR QUICKLY ATTEMPTED TO GET THE VESSEL BACK UNDERWAY BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE VESSEL'S ENGINE THEN BECAME COMPLETELY SUBMERGED AND LOST ALL POWER.  OPERATOR STATED THAT WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS THE VESSEL WAS COMPLETELY SWAMPED AND CAPSIZED.  OPERATOR WAS ABLE TO CONTACT HIS WIFE AND NOTIFY HER THAT THEIR BOAT HAD CAPSIZED IN THE PAMLICO SOUND NEAR OCRACOKE ISLAND. THE USCG AND CAPTAIN 1 WERE NOTIFIED AND A VHF BROADCAST WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE USCG.  OPERATOR AND THE OTHER PASSENGERS ONBOARD WERE PICKED UP BY OTHER BOATERS WHO WERE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY AND PROVIDED TRANSPORT BACK TO THE JUNIPER BAY BOAT RAMP WHERE OFFICER AND CAPTAIN 1 MET WITH THE OPERATOR AND PASSENGERS.  OPERATOR STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THAT THE BILGE PUMP WAS WORKING PRIOR TO THE TRIP BUT IS UNSURE HOW ALL THE WATER GOT INTO THE VESSEL'S BILGE.
  
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