ON 08/11/2023, I RECEIVED A REPORT OF A BOATING INCIDENT THAT HAD OCCURRED IN THE NEUSE RIVER NEAR UNION POINT PARK.  NEW BERN FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL DROPPED ME OFF ON THE TWO VESSELS INVOLVED SO I COULD SPEAK WITH OCCUPANTS OF THE VESSELS.  BOTH VESSELS WERE ANCHORED WHEN I BOARDED THEM.  

AT APPROXIMATELY 8:30 PM, I WAS DROPPED OFF ON A 28' CARVER OPERATED BY V1 OPERATOR.  FOR PURPOSES OF THIS REPORT, THIS VESSEL WILL BE KNOWN AS VESSEL ONE.  VESSEL ONE WAS POWERED BY DUAL INBOARD ENGINES.  V1 OPERATOR REPORTED THAT WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED, HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO ANCHOR HIS VESSEL BETWEEN TWO OTHERS.  A PASSENGER ON VESSEL ONE, V1 PASSENGER 2, REPORTED HE WAS ON THE BOW (FRONT) DROPPING THE ANCHOR WHEN HE TOLD V1 OPERATOR TO PUT THE VESSEL IN REVERSE.  V1 OPERATOR REPORTED THAT HE SHIFTED TO REVERSE BUT VESSEL ONE CONTINUED GOING FORWARD.  V1 OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THEY HAD COME TO LATER REALIZE THAT THIS WAS THE RESULT OF THE STARBOARD (RIGHT) SIDE TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING AND BEING STUCK IN FORWARD GEAR.  AS A RESULT OF VESSEL ONE CONTINUING FORWARD, IT COLLIDED WITH A NEARBY 34' BRISTOL SAILBOAT.  FOR PURPOSES OF THIS REPORT, THIS SAILBOAT WILL BE REFERRED TO AS VESSEL TWO.  THE PORT (LEFT) SIDE OF THE BOW OF VESSEL ONE COLLIDED WITH THE STARBOARD SIDE OF VESSEL TWO.  V1 OPERATOR REPORTED THAT HE DISCOVERED THAT HIS STARBOARD SIDE TRANSMISSION WAS MALFUNCTIONING AFTER THEY SUCCESSFULLY ANCHORED AND THEY INSPECTED THE ENGINES BELOW DECK.  V1 PASSENGER 2 REPORTED THAT AFTER THE COLLISION THE ENGINE OF VESSEL ONE WAS TURNED OFF AND THE ANCHOR HAD BEEN SET.  VESSEL ONE WAS EVENTUALLY MOVED AWAY FROM VESSEL TWO.  I VISUALLY INSPECTED THE STARBOARD SIDE TRANSMISSION OF VESSEL ONE AND CONFIRMED IT WAS NOT SHIFTING COMPARED TO THE PORT SIDE TRANSMISSION WHICH WAS.  V1 OPERATOR REPORTED HE HAD CONSUMED A RUM AND COKE AROUND 6:00 PM.  NO SFST'S OR BRAC WAS OBTAINED BECAUSE THE OPERATOR DID NOT SEEM IMPAIRED DURING PERSONAL CONTACT.    

AT APPROXIMATELY 8:53 PM, I BOARDED VESSEL TWO AND SPOKE WITH THE TWO OCCUPANTS ON BOARD, V2 OWNER AND V2 PASSENGER.  IN ADDITION TO TELLING ME WHAT HAPPENED, THEY POINTED OUT THE DAMAGE TO VESSEL TWO.  I OBSERVED THE METAL RAILS ON THE STARBOARD SIDE OF VESSEL TWO WERE BENT IN SEVERAL PLACES.  THE BASES OF THE RAILS HAD BEGUN TO PULL OUT OF THE FIBERGLASS, DAMAGING THE FIBERGLASS.  I PHOTOGRAPHED THE DAMAGED AREAS.  NOTHING FURTHER AT THIS TIME.
NEUSE RIVER
NEW BERN                      