On July 9th 2023 at approximately 12:30 PM Operator was operating his 1977 Mantaray Jet Boat on the Mississippi River Pool 12 near Nine Mile Island when he heard an explosion, and the boat immediately began filling with water.  Operator had his passenger put on a life jacket and they both jumped off the boat as it sank to the bottom of the main channel of the river.  A boat nearby came to their aide and rescued Operator and passenger from the water unharmed.  

Operator hired a diver to recover the boat and it was removed from the bottom of the river.  

Upon removal of the boat from the water Officer inspected the boat and observed the fitting connecting the jet drive to the water intake had exploded.  This created a free flow of water through an approximately 6 inch hole into the boat from directly under the motor which is the heaviest part of the boat.  The boat has no floatation of any kind built in.
Mississippi River
Dubuque                       