On May 19, 2023 at approximately 9:03pm, a 17 foot 2009 Gatortail brand vessel was traveling northbound in the river channel of the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway / Aliceville Lake section located in Lowndes County, MS with one male operator and one female passenger (Injured) who was sitting in the middle of the boat in front of the operator. At the time of the incident, it was dark and the cruising vessel struck an underwater object believed to be a stump according to the operator and passenger but unconfirmed. The impact of the vessel striking the object in the water threw the female passenger into the interior side wall of the vessel where she suffered an injury to her ribs. The operator was uninjured. None of the occupants were wearing pfd's and were not ejected. After striking the object in the water, the operator stated he then drove the vessel to a nearby private boat ramp on Happy Hollow Rd. and transported the injured passenger by private vehicle to a nearby gas station and called 911 for an ambulance. Injured passenger was transported by ambulance from the gas station to Baptist Memorial Hospital in Columbus, MS where she was treated in the ER for bruised ribs and released soon after. There was no damage to the vessel and the driver was cited for No Boat Registration by the investigating MDWFP Officer 1. Officer 1 interviewed the passenger, operator, and examined the vessel for damage. The vessel operator completed the vessel operator report as required. There were no witnesses to this incident.
Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway A
Columbus                      