Statement of Operator of Vessel 1: 09/03/2023 at 6:25pm EST my family and I were going out for a sunset cruise. The motor on the pontoon boat started to stall as we were halfway. I could not get the motor to start up again and stay running, as a result we drifted into the rocks at rocky point (where the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers meet "Fork"). 

A rock punctured the port side pontoon and the boat started to sink. I radioed mayday on CH16 for help. The NJSP towed the boat to the closest beach and set anchor. I called Geico marine to report a claim and to get the boat towed and recovered, however dispatch stated at 8:28pm EST that no one could come that evening and that I was on the list for the morning after (9/04/2023). 

I received a call from the USCG at 1:39AM EST 09/04/2023 that the boat was not on the beach and had gone missing.  Towboat US Called me at 7:15am EST 09/04/2023 to report that they had done a search for the boat and had found nothing. The USCG had conducted a search for the vessel as well and notified me at 10:36am EST 09/04/2023 that they also had not found the vessel. 

Monmouth County Sheriff, NJSP, USCG and Seabright Rescue had conducted a search and nothing had been found. We did find a red 12 gal auxiliary gas tank floating in the river near red buoy 26 that was off my boat. USCG notified the Army Corps of Engineers on 09/04/2023 to conduct a sonar scan of the channel. Army Corps of Engineers conducted a scan of the channel on Tuesday 09/05/2023 and did not find anything in the channel. USCG called me at 11:40am EST 09/05/2023 to notify me that nothing has been found and the search was called off.

Investigation at scene revealed: V1 was traveling north on the Shrewsbury River, Rumson Boro, Monmouth County in the area of the N/S Bouy. V1 struck a submerged jetty with the port side pontoon and began to take on water. All persons on board V1 were evacuated off by bystanders. The owner of V1 was assisted onto NJSP 2905 and V1 was put in side tow. V1 was towed to the Navesink River Wildlife Management Area Beach and anchored by the owner. The owner of V1 stated that he was going to coordinate with his insurance company the removal of the vessel. There were no injuries observed or reported on scene.

It was later learned that the owner of V1 was unable to make tow arrangements the night of the accident. The location of V1 is currently unknown at this time. This accident report will remain pending until V1 has been recovered. 


SHREWSBURY RIVER
RUMSON                        