Boy taking sailing lessons is hit by boat propeller, dies

[Siamese]

Certainly a tragedy for all. Very sad.

Did I read that something on the boy's life jacket caught on the engine? If that's the case, imagine the boat accelerating. If the victim was unprepared or off balance, the physics of the situation are such that he's going to stay in the same place as the boat quickly moves away. Picture a lifejacket strap getting caught on the motor. The amount of force involved could easily whip the victim into the rear of the engine and into the propeller. I can see that happening in UNDER one second. He was essentially flung, and to a viewer, it would appear to be almost instantaneous. Two or three seconds in contact with the propeller is a traumatic event I don't want to contemplate.

Was the operator of the Zodiac responsible for his passengers? Yes. But we don't know if the operator checked, and when he turned around to accelerate the victim shifted his position. Or the operator was horsing around. Or, any number of variables.

If the victim hadn't gotten snagged, he'd have simple tumbled into the water. A laughable moment, and maybe a teaching moment for the operator.

IF....big IF, the operator accelerated too harshly, that moment of almost insignificant bad judgement could have been multiplied to fatal proportions by the freak occurrence of a strap getting caught. Even as I try to absorb the horror of the event, and the tragedy of a young life cut short, I can't condemn the operator. A huge tragedy for the families and the operator, who have years of grief ahead of them.

 

[Jackdaw]

Reflects a great failing in our society today. No one is ever to blame for anything. Instead, they become "victims". The worst thing that could happen to this poor kid who was driving the launch and his supervisor is for them to believe the hype like these statements above that this death was not their failing.

Nobody said the driver was a victim.Except you. If you want to argue your 'point', you need to raise your game.

I knows these kids. We have the same at out club.

They are well trained. They are careful and conscientious . They care passionately about their kids and about sailing. For you to sit wherever you are and to say they somehow they are responsable for a 1 in a million freak accident makes me want to puke.

 

[Captmayhem]

Grow up.

Nobody said the driver was a victim.

Except you. If you want to argue your 'point', you need to raise your game.

So first you say "oh well, shit happens" then you attack someone who point's out the fact that people were to blame?
I don't understand your attitude on this? why are you so confrontational over this death, that was caused by lack of training/lack of attention to details/ whatever, but it was caused by failure of the people at the scene.
So who's to blame in your esteemed view?

 

[Daveinet]

Just another observation. I went back and looked at the photos of the boat. The prop is fairly well protected by the rear of the boat. It is difficult for anyone in the water to even get near the prop. Life jackets float. It really seems like a combination of a lot of things have to happen "perfectly" to get the straps caught in the prop.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Folks, prior to being a sailboat dealer, I was an investigator for a major insurance company on the east coast considered to be able to determine quickly what occurred. What I read is acceleration quickly immediately turning into a wave. Sadly a 12 year old child is dead and that 18 year old is going to have to probably face a lawsuit but SADLY he will have to live with this event for the rest of his life. He too is a victim from that standpoint. By discussing this, maybe others will learn and even if it is only one person, then this discussion has helped. However, please do not do the blame game or point fingures or even raise some eyebrows here, Lets mourn for the two and move on.
Dave Condon

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Rick, you sound more like an ambulance chaser than a concerned citizen. For all we know, the driver could have been a cousin, a brother, a close neighbor and good friend of the family, or as JD said, just a really good young man who cares greatly about his community. I'd guess that he is absolutely devastated. Throwing around absolutes about pending law suits, where to assign blame (before the facts are known), and so forth is a greater sign of a sick society than the results of a tragic accident. We raise our kids with hopes that we can provide them with some of the most pleasurable things, like the opportunity to learn how to sail, yet the world is a dangerous place. We do our best to mitigate the risks, but there was never any guarantee that I'm aware of that told us that our lives will be immune to tragedy. Opportunists look around for lawsuits. Most of us lean on friends and family to get through events that leave us broken, and most of us eventually understand that forgiveness helps the healing. I'm sure car accidents that kill children (or bullets in Chicago) get less negative reaction from you than this tragic incident.

 

[Rick486]

Rick, you sound more like an ambulance chaser than a concerned citizen. I'm sure car accidents that kill children (or bullets in Chicago) get less negative reaction from you than this tragic incident.

Scott: If you wish to debate issues, please abstain from personal attacks and focus on the issues. I'm done on this.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Well, personally, I find that the instantaneous leap from tragedy to talk of law suits and assigning blame is offensive. I generally agree with so many of your posts, that I find your responses on this one surprising. It is also surprising that we tend to go about our lives hearing about carnage on the highways and in the cities, with so little response. Yet, when hearing about this tragedy, involving something that is closer to our interests, many reactions seem to be over the top with condemnation. Relatively speaking, this was a freak accident. At least to me, it does not appear to be an accident that resulted from outright malice, or probably not even gross negligence. While it is incredibly sad, I find it difficult to express more condemnation for something like this, as opposed to my other examples.

 

[Gunni]

I said the operator was a victim. Two things can be true at the same time, someone can cause an accident AND they can be a victim of that accident. The operator is said to be 'devastated' and was treated for shock. Pretty clear he understands AND accepts responsibility. His actions to recover the injured and provide assistance demonstrate responsible behavior and good character. Better character I note than the willingness of some to vilify him and make him a poster child for their own bitter worldview.

 

[Kings Gambit]

So, a tragic accident occurs in which a young boy participating in a youth sailing program dies failing from a boat with a legal adult who is the instructor, in charge, driving the boat when the accident occurs. The adult is also, tragically, very young and possibly inexperienced; but has, we suspect, received training. We accept that he possibly fits the mould of "a really good young man who cares greatly about his community." Thus, this really good man should not be "tagged" as potentially responsible or having blame--because...he's a really good young man who cares about the community; or, may be a relative of the boy who died? Really?

Perhaps a series of events will be uncovered wherein this young man is not faulted; pray be it. I doubt there are many "waves" in protected waters where little kids typically practice capsize recoveries. If anything, I'd suspect a big wake from a passing power boater a-hole, causing the Zodiac operator to accelerate and turn into it, thus pitching the 12 yo into the water, perhaps on the side with the stern slewing toward him; thus, the entanglement. Then I suppose the "everybody is a victim; "no one is to blame", "no one is responsible", "it's nobody's fault" point of view might gain some traction.

I agree with Rick486. After the past year and more of witnessing the national hurling of insults and personal attacks on citizens for their willingness to express their views and opinions that differ from others on a multiplicity of substantive issues, I've had enough. I really don't care about how something affects one's emotional state--deal with it. But if you wish to talk about it (issue); let's talk ABOUT IT--even if your logic says no one is to blame, or should be suspected of blame, b/c everyone involved is a good person. I can remember hearing: "Bad things happen to good people." And, in the words of Jean-Luc Picard: "It's possible to commit no mistakes and still lose."

 

[JRacer]

My takeaway has been to communicate the tragedy to our BOG's, to our Junior and Adult Learn to Sail management personnel with the purpose of having them re-review all of our equipment, procedures and training so that everything possible has already or will be done to minimize the risk that something terrible like this occurs at our place. It's tragic that the young man was killed and equally tragic that the young man running the boat will carry this with him the rest of his life. Let's all pray for them both and pray that we all take any necessary steps to prevent events such as this in the future. If we do, the boy will not have died in vain. My 2 cents.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Folks I hope this will be blocked by Phil Herring. We have two victims here one deceased and the other who will have to live with this for the rest of his life. I pray that the young man who drove will never see this. It could and may very possibly commit suicide.

Investigating a workman's comp claim years ago wherein a young 18 yr. old man was with his father driving as a trucker. The trucker had a pistol and when stopped for the night, the 18 yr. old accidentally hit the weapon which went off and his father died in front of him. Sadly I had to investigate and ask questions of this young man and asked very few questions. I deemed the incident being compensable taking into account current law, company rules and so on. Home office said to deny. Privately I directed the widow to a good attorney whom I knew. The case went to a hearing and the company decided to interrogate that young man against my recommendations as I feared he would commit suicide. The judge who knew me privately asked my initial recommendation as I informed him privately the case was compensable. He told me that was already his decision and would throw the book at the Ins. company and all idiots except for me multiple fines plus addl. funds to the widow. I got a call from the widow a month later, her son had committed suicide. I have never forgotten that and there were times I cried. I pray this driver of the boat will seek help as this incident will affect him for the rest of his life or could do something drastic I pray he does not.

Now please respect me and let this thread die. If Not I will ask Phil to block it. I am serious about this.

Dave Condon