$1.5 Million Speedboat Veers Sideways, Crashes Into Woods at High Speeds

Two people sustained serious injuries when a high-performance catamaran crashed into a tree line along the Tickfaw River over the weekend. The accident occurred around 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, when the high-end boat carrying five people suddenly took a sharp turn to the right and collided with several trees.

According to a Facebook post, a passerby who witnessed the incident immediately jumped to help out the passengers, using his boat as a rescue vessel. The boater delivered the passengers to Livingston Parish, where they were met by LDWF agents and an ambulance. Two of the passengers were taken to a hospital in Hammond with severe injuries, but are expected to recover.

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says that it is unclear whether the boat’s safety lanyards were engaged at the time of the accident. Because of the high speeds that the boat was traveling it, this means that it could have easily travelled the distance on the land even after the engines were shut off because of its momentum. The incident serves as a visual reminder of the importance of using safety lanyards when operating a boat, especially in narrow waterways where the margin for error is small. In this scenario, though, it’s hard to say if the operator of the vessel could’ve done anything to avoid the incident after the boat veered off course.

The Tickfaw River is known for being narrow which can call for a difficult area to navigate. This is especially true for boaters who are inexperienced. As such, it is even more important for boat operators to be familiar with their surroundings and double down on taking all necessary safety precautions when operating a vessel in this location. This might include measures such as using safety lanyards, making sure everyone onboard has a life jacket, and maintaining appropriate speeds.

Below, WBRZ sheds a bit more light on the incident as authorities piece things together.