ON 6/25/23 AT APPROX 2:15PM, OPERATOR WAS OPERATING HIS PONTOON BOAT ON THE ICW WITH HIS DAUGHTER, PASSENGER ON BOARD.  OPERATOR AND PASSENGER HAD LAUNCHED THE BOAT AT THE NCWRC RAMP AT SHELLROCK LANDING AND WERE HEADED BACK IN THAT DIRECTION WHEN OPERATOR NOTICED THAT THE BOAT WASN'T RUNNING RIGHT.  WHILE CRUISING BETWEEN 10 -15 MPH, OPERATOR TRIED WORKING ON THE BOAT TO SEE WHAT THE ISSUE WAS.  HE WAS UNABLE TO IMMEDIATELY FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE AND BEGAN RESEARCHING IT ON HIS PHONE.  AT THIS POINT, THE PONTOON BOAT WAS HEADED DIRECTLY TOWARDS A PRIVATE DOCK WITH SEVERAL BOAT LIFTS NEAR DEER ISLAND RD.  A WITNESS THAT WAS WORKING ON THEIR BOAT AT THE TIME LOOKED UP AND SAW OPERATOR LOOKING DOWN AT HIS PHONE AS THE PONTOON BOAT WAS HEADED TO COLLIDE WITH THE DOCK.  THE INDIVIDUAL ON THE DOCK CONTINUOUSLY YELLED AND WAVED THEIR HANDS IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET OPERATOR'S ATTENTION.  HE FINALLY HEARD AND SAW THE INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS TRYING TO GET HIS ATTENTION, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO STEER AWAY FROM THE DOCK IN TIME.  OPERATOR HAD NOT CHANGED SPEED AND THE PONTOON BOAT MADE IMPACT WITH THE DOCK GOING BETWEEN 10-15 MPH.  THE PONTOON BOAT HIT THE DOCK AND A LADDER ON ITS PORT SIDE.  WHEN THE PONTOON BOAT STRUCK THE DOCK, OPERATOR WAS THROWN FORWARD AND PASSENGERY WAS THROWN FORWARD AND LANDED ON A FOLDED BEACH CHAIR.  WHEN PASSENGER LANDED ON THE CHAIR, IT CAUSED A LACERATION ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HER FACE FROM HER RIGHT NOSTRIL ACROSS HER CHEEK.

THE WITNESS CALLED 911 AND EMS TRANSPORTED PASSENGER TO THE NAVAL HOSPITAL AT CAMP LEJEUNE WHERE SHE WAS ADMITTED AND TREATED.  OPERATOR'S FAILURE TO KEEP A PROPER LOOKOUT AS WELL AS INATTENTION TO OPERATING THE BOAT GREATLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.  OPERATOR INDICTED THAT ONCE HE REALIZED THE BOAT WASN'T OPERATING PROPERLY, HE MADE NO EFFORT TO TRY TO ANCHOR OUT OR TIE OFF ANYWHERE AT ANY PUBLIC DOCKS AND CONTINUED TO ATTEMPT TO WORK ON THE BOAT WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDERWAY.  ALL OF THIS RESULTED IN PASSENGER BECOMING SERIOUSLY INJURED AND NEEDING MEDICAL TREATMENT BEYOND FIRST AID.


***PLEASE NOTE:  THIS REPORT WAS MANUALLY ENTERED INTO BARD DUE TO CONTINUED TRANSMISSION ISSUES BETWEEN REPORT BEAM AND BARD.(((

***BARD, PLEASE DO NOT DELETE THIS REPORT****


*****END OF REPORT*****
ICW
SWANSBORO                     