ON SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 2023, AT APPROXIMATELY 1600 HOURS, A 20 FOOT, 1997 FALCON CENTURION (VESSEL 1) WAS TRAVELING SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE CANAL BRIDGE NO WAKE ZONE.  VESSEL 1 WAS TRAVELING AT IDLE SPEED IN HEAVILY CONGESTED WATERS WITH SIX PASSENGERS ON BOARD INCLUDING THE OPERATOR.  V1 OPERATOR WAS OPERATING THE VESSEL WITH HIS WIFE NEXT TO HIM, AND ALL OTHER PASSENGERS, FOUR FEMALES WERE SEATED AT THE BOW OF THE BOAT.  SEVERAL BOATS WERE OPERATING WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY OF VESSEL 1.  THEREFORE, CREATING HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS DUE TO THE WAKES FROM OTHER PASSING VESSELS.  THE PRESENCE OF THE FEMALE PASSENGERS SEATED AT THE BOW OF VESSEL 1 CREATED AN UNEQUAL WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION WHICH CAUSED THE BOW OF VESSEL 1 TO DIP INTO THE WATER.   AT THE SAME TIME, A LARGE WAKE OR SERIES OF WAKES CAME OVER THE BOW OF VESSEL 1 CAUSING IT TO TAKE ON WATER.  V1 OPERATOR ENGAGED THE THROTTLE FORWARD MULTIPLE TIMES IN AN ATTEMPT TO BRING THE NOSE OF THE BOW OUT OF THE WATER.  HOWEVER, THE VESSEL BEGAN TO SWAMP AND TAKE ON MORE WATER.  THE VESSEL QUICKLY FILLED WITH WATER AND SUBSEQUENTLY CAPSIZED.  ALL SIX PASSENGERS ON BOARD VESSEL 1 ENTERED THE WATER BUT WERE VERY QUICKLY RESCUED BY OTHER PASSING VESSELS.  VESSEL 1 WAS RECOVERED AND TOWED TO CANAL BRIDGE BOATING ACCESS AREA AND LATER REMOVED WITH THE USE OF A TOW TRUCK.  THERE WERE NO INJURIES.  ALTHOUGH PRESENT ON-BOARD VESSEL 1, NO PFDS WERE USED IN THIS INCIDENT.  ALCOHOL NOR DRUGS WERE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THIS INCIDENT.  THERE WAS NO EQUIPMENT FAILURE AND NO MACHINERY FAILURE.  THE CONTRIBUTING CAUSES OF THIS INCIDENT WERE THE OVERLOADING OF VESSEL 1 IN CONGESTED WATERS AND THE WAKE(S) FROM OTHER VESSELS.  THESE FACTORS COMBINED RESULTED IN THE SWAMPING AND CAPSIZING OF VESSEL 1.


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LAKE JAMES
NEBO                          