Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 16

Thread: Pics of Havasu Runaway Boat

  1. #1
    Boatcop
    Chief Doug Samp of the Coast Guard sent me these pictures. They are of the runaway boat on Lake Havasu.
    It took a coordinated effort from San Bernardino CO SO, Mohave SO, Lake Havasu PD, Arizona State Parks, & Vessel Assist to get this thing stopped.
    They rigged several sets of stopping devices, that consisted of 2 boat fenders tied at the ends of a length of 3/8" nylon double braid. These were thrown into the path of the unmanned boat. This took extreme boathandling skill on the part of the MCSO Deputy running the SO boat. The 1st attempt did nothing. The 2nd slowed the boat, and the 3rd fouled the propeller enough to stall the engine.
    The alternative to this would have been to close the lake and wait until the boat ran out of fuel. As you can guess, that would have taken a hell of a long time.
    I wanted to put this out so everyone can see the abilities and talents of those guys that are out there working for YOU!
    This old Coastie BoatCop's hat goes off to all of those who worked together to bring that episode to a halt with no loss of life, and no further injuries.
    What you see hanging off the side of the boat is the torn bimini top.
    http://www.boatcop.com/img_1131.jpg
    http://www.boatcop.com/img_1132.jpg
    http://www.boatcop.com/img_1133.jpg
    http://www.boatcop.com/img_1134.jpg

  2. #2
    Havasu Hangin'
    Any word on why the bimini was torn off?

  3. #3
    MANIC MECHANIC
    Good argument for a tethered kill switch.
    Tim

  4. #4
    Boatcop
    Any word on why the bimini was torn off?
    Judging from the direction, I'd say that the driver tried to hang on to it when he was thrown from the boat.
    Obviously it didn't work.

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    2,626
    What happened to the occupants?

  6. #6
    Boatcop
    Here's the article:
    News
    Runaway boat a challenge: Agencies work together after driver ejected, arm severed
    By BRIAN WEDEMEYER
    Thursday, July 1, 2004 10:30 PM MDT
    News-Herald Photo/L.J. Frink The water of Lake Havasu may look peaceful and serene, but as one of two information plaques in Windsor Beach State Park warn, it's not a swimming pool. The signs overlook a beach not far from an area where a man had his armed severed last week by his out-of-control boat after he was ejected from it.
    In what could have been a scene out of an action movie, local authorities moved swiftly to possibly save a man's life and stop a runaway boat.
    Jess Leaver, a 34-year-old Tucson native, was traveling southbound in his new 28-foot Magic boat Saturday when he struck a large wake a few hundred yards from Windsor Beach State Park, according to police. The impact ejected Leaver from the boat, which continued traveling in a large circle at near full throttle.
    The boat's prop severed Leaver's left arm near his elbow. It is unclear if the boat made a full circle before striking Leaver or if the injury happened upon ejection.
    Lake Havasu City boat police were first to arrive at the scene about 3:45 p.m. Officers Greg Irvine and Jeff Bekkedahl noticed two occupants waving and screaming at them from a small boat. The officers then observed Leaver struggling to hang on to the rear of the boat with his right hand.
    In winds up to 20 mph and water swells of more than two feet, Bekkedahl carefully maneuvered the boat closer to the abandoned craft.
    "(Bekkedahl) did a phenomenal job with the boat," Irvine said. "We had to get close enough to him without hitting him."
    Leaver was mostly underwater as the police boat moved closer. Irvine grabbed Leaver's right hand and pulled him partially onboard. Bekkedahl left the helm to help get Leaver into the vessel safely.
    "He was obviously panicked and screaming," Irvine said. "But he calmed down quite a bit after we got him on the boat."
    The officers rushed Leaver to one of the launch ramps at Windsor Beach to a waiting ambulance. Paramedics quickly triaged Leaver and transported him to Havasu Regional Medical Center.
    By that time, Mohave County Sheriff's deputies were attempting to bring the runaway boat to a halt.
    With help from city police and the Arizona Game and Fish Department, deputies set up a large perimeter to prevent other boats from entering the area. The runaway boat was traveling at about 30 mph in a circle covering roughly 150 yards in diameter, Irvine said.
    The deputies tied floating bumpers on the ends of a long rope and tossed the rope in the water in front of the runaway boat's path. The rope got caught in the boat's prop, causing it to slow significantly. A second rope was used to eventually stop the unmanned vessel.
    "I have to say I've never seen that done before," Irvine said. "The deputies did an outstanding job getting that boat stopped in a relatively short period of time. That could have been a very dangerous situation."
    Leaver was later transported by helicopter to a hospital in Phoenix, where he is currently listed in fair condition. Leaver turned down a request for a phone interview.
    Irvine encourages boat drivers to take advantage of "kill switches" when they are available. A small cord connects the switch to the driver's wrist in case he or she is ejected.
    "I know we use them on our police boats," Irvine said. "The manufacturers install them for a reason, and here is a perfect reason."

  7. #7
    Havasu Hangin'
    What scares me is what if it went straight into Windsor (or Havasu Landing)?

  8. #8
    Ntwotrance
    thanks for the pics and the updates BC.

  9. #9
    Ziggy
    Excellent job by the Authorities on this calamity..Way to go.
    BTW BoatCop...I for one do appreciate the LE presence....

  10. #10
    Mandelon
    Scary!

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. A few Havasu pics.
    By No Name in forum Sandbar
    Replies: 60
    Last Post: 07-25-2007, 10:46 AM
  2. Runaway Bride
    By Jbb in forum Sandbar
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 10-10-2006, 05:12 PM
  3. I am a runaway, er ,groom.............
    By Rod-64 in forum Sandbar
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 05-17-2005, 09:57 PM
  4. Runaway Bride
    By Jbb in forum Sandbar
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 05-12-2005, 02:56 PM
  5. Motorcyclist killed by runaway boat
    By Kilrtoy in forum Sandbar
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 08-12-2003, 07:31 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •