On August 16, 2023 at around 1720 hours I, Officer of the Maryland Natural Resources Police, was underway on my patrol vessel in the Sinepuxent Bay when I received a report of a personal watercraft (PWC) accident near Castaways Campground from the Department of Natural Resources Police Communications Center.  

I responded to the area and could see in the far distance two PWCs that were aground on a sandbar close to the Assateague shoreline. One of the employees for Oceanside Watersports in Ocean City came out to meet me. The employee was a PWC guide and he informed me that one PWC hit another and that the one PWC is most likely a total loss with a lot of damage. 

I asked the guide if there were any injuries to any riders and the guide responded that there was no injuries to anyone involved in the accident. The guide along with 2 other guides were able to tow both PWCs back to Oceanside Watersports located at 710 South Philadelphia Ave Ocean City Maryland. I followed the two PWCs and involved persons back to Oceanside Watersports.

I identified operator2 as the operator of the striking jetski with Maryland registration. I then identified operator1 as the operator of the struck jetski with Maryland registration. I identified myself as an Officer with the Maryland Natural Resources Police and that I would be investigating the PWC accident that had just occurred. I asked both Operator2 and Operator1 if they would like to write a witness statement of the events that occurred that day and both agreed.

I asked Operator2 if he was ok and if he had any injuries. He said he was ok just shook up. I asked Operator2 how the accident happened. Operator2 stated that he was following Operator1 in front of him and both cruising north. Operator2 was cruising at about 25 miles per hour and then either hit a wave or sandbar and that caused his PWC to go up in the air causing him to fall off. 

Operator1 was going about 15 miles per hour and his PWC was about 3 PWC lengths in front of him about 20 feet when Operator2’s PWC then fell on top of Operator1s PWC which was directly in front of Operator2. Operator1 did not know what happened and had no awareness of Operator2 hitting something and then falling off. There was no action he could take to avoid such a fast collision. 

I then asked Operator1 if he was ok and he stated he was ok.
The struck PWC that Operator1 was operating had a rupture in the fiberglass extending along the entirety of the hull from bow to stern. It looked to be a total loss.

The striking PWC Operator2 was operating had some scratches but overall looked to be in good shape.
Upon inspecting both vessels and reading the operators statements, I determined that Operator2 was operating above 6 knots within hundred feet of Operator1. Operator2’s inexperience operating a PWC also contributed to the accident and failed to obey US Coast Guard Navigation Rule 8 Action to avoid collision.

A warning was issued for Nav Rules violation and a citation for operating a PWC over 6 knots within hundred feet of another vessel.

ALL EVENTS OCCURRED IN WORCESTER COUNTY

Sinepuxent Bay, Berlin
Ocean City                    