On July 9, 2023 at approximately 1800 hours, a two vessel boating accident occurred at the mouth of the Intracoastal Waterway's Manatee Pocket in Martin County, Florida, near marker 7.
	Vessel 2 was operating westward, entering into the Manatee Pocket and decelerating per the slow speed zone while Vessel 1 attempted to pass on Vessel 2's starboard side. 
	Vessel 1 crossed the wake of Vessel 2 and turned into the starboard side causing damage and tossing a 9-year old occupant which sustained a concusion due to falling inside Vessel 2. 
	Vessel 1 displayed no signs of damage. Vessel 2 displayed approximately $13,500 of damage. The 9-year old occupant was reviewed and released from the area hospital. No other injuries were reported. Both vessels were equiped with required safety equipment.
	Based upon the consistency of statements, aligning vessel damage, and the video footage of the boating accident I found that Vessel 1, while operating at speed, attempted to overtake Vessel 2 by placing Vessel 2 on its port side. Vessel 1 then interacted with the diminishing wake of Vessel 2 coming off planing speed to enter the slow speed zone of the Manatee Pocket and Vessel 1 travelled the wake turning to its port direction without reducing speed or altering direction with due time to avoid the collision into Vessel 2’s starboard side, just aft of the mid-ship area. 
	This impact is what resulted in the sole occupant of Vessel 2, who was on the starboard side ahead of the helm, to fall into the port side of the vessel and become injured. At the point of disengagement, Vessel 1 retained much of its prior momentum before striking Vessel 2 but now rotated to its starboard direction away from Vessel 2 before fully reducing its speed and correcting its heading westward into the Manatee Pocket. 
	Both vessels were able to continue operation and were released on-scene with their respective operators and occupants upon their own recognizance, however Vessel 2 sustained approximately $13,500 worth of damage to its starboard side while Vessel 1 did not display visible damage. 
	VICTIM was released from the Martin South Hospital that evening after treatment for a mild concussion with no visible contusions. Rental company was contacted to be notified of the boating accident and to obtain insurance information for their rental of Vessel 1. Tow Boat US was contacted for assistance with the boating accident investigation by providing the video footage displaying the incident.; VICTIM:DURING THE BOATING ACCIDENT VICTIM WAS ABOARD VESSEL 2 NEAR THE STARBOARD BOW AREA AND DUE TO THE IMPACT OF VESSEL 1 WAS SENT INTO THE INTERIOR PORT SIDE OF THE BOW OF VESSEL 2. VICTIM IMPACT RESULTED IN EMS FINDING INCONSISTENT VITALS SIGNS AND HER COMPLAINTS OF A HEADACHE. DUE TO THESE FACTORS VICTIM WAS TRANSPORTED TO MARTIN SOUTH HOSPITAL WHERE SHE WAS MEDICALLY REVIEWED AND FOUND TO HAVE NO CONTUSIONS BUT SUSTAINED A MINOR CONCUSSION AND WAS RELEASED.

INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY
STUART                        