Speed boat lands upside down after crashing into sandbar on Lake Havasu

[Serious News]

Posted: 11/15/2013
• By: Cassie Klapp

LAKE HAVASU, AZ - A boat accident at Lake Havasu ejected its four passengers after hitting a sand bar and rolled several times, Mohave County Sheriff’s Waterways deputies said.

A report says the speed boat was traveling about 50 mph Wednesday afternoon and passed jet skis when it hit a sand bar. The boat's operator, Ralph Reed, 69, his wife and two friends were ejected from the boat, and it rolled several times, deputies said.

All four Lake Havasu City residents were not wearing life-jackets at the time of the accident, a report says. At about 2 p.m. deputies arrived to see the 26-foot Lavey Craft boat upside down on the sand bar.

Lake Havasu City Fire Department transported the boaters to Windsor Beach and Madeline Gordon, 69, was taken to Lake Havasu Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

The boat was towed off the sandbar and the accident is under investigation.


Credit: Mohave County Sheriff's Office
A 26-foot Laveycraft boat rolled multiple times after hitting a sandbar on Lake Havasu.



Read more, Photo: http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region...#ixzz2l2GIyTKz

[Ratickle]

I've been up and down Lake Havasu a few times but have no idea where that sandbar they hit is. Anyone?

[Buoy]

Paul, I've been poking around out here about this one, and people are kinda quiet about it.
It's speculated that this was at the mouth of the river.

I guess the only injury was one lady with a broken hand.

That's all I've got so far.

[T2x]

Well at least the motor stayed dry..........

[Donskihp]

Why wouldn't there have been some buoy markers, marking the sandbar?

[Ratickle]

I know there are sandbars all over the lake, some more famous (infamous?) then others. I don't believe hardly any of them are marked. I can only think of a couple caution buoys that I saw while running the lake.

[Ratickle]

Well at least the motor stayed dry..........

Now that's a laugh out loud!

[Buoy]

The thing is, the lake levels are constantly changed out here.
These are all man made lakes that levels are adjusted to supply city water and irrigation.
Water level can change 3 feet in a few hours.

[fund razor]

Water level can change 3 feet in a few hours.

Sounds like Erie.

[rschap1]

[Ratickle]

They sure seem to be some lucky people....

[fund razor]

They sure seem to be some lucky people....

Yeah, but not as lucky as people who didn't hit a sandbar.

[Blue Oval]

Yeah, but not as lucky as people who didn't hit a sandbar.

Good point!

[Ratickle]

Unless they were the people who hit the seawall or other boat!!