Sadly, last Wednesday, eight people were taken to a hospital after waves slammed into the side of a whale watching boat off the coast of Plymouth, Massachusetts.
According to WCVB-TV, the boat encountered a rogue wave and ambulances were waiting for passengers when they returned to shore. There were 112 people aboard the Captain John & Son II when the incident took place.
The passengers were reportedly part of a high school watch group from New York that chartered the 76-foot boat off Cape Cod. A crewmember said winds were blowing hard at the time of the accident, with 25 to 30 knots with 6- to 8-foot waves. On the return to shore, the boat was struck by a rogue wave, with some students suffering ankle injuries. Others reportedly fainted or became extremely seasick.
The students were taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Plymouth Hospital for treatment.
Whale Watching Accidents Can Be Serious
A number of whale watching accidents have made the headlines recently—in March, a Canadian woman was killed on a Mexican whale watching tour boat off the coast of Cabo San Lucas. Often, these passenger vessel accidents happen due to extreme waves or complications with severe weather.
Keep in mind, there are no excuses for commercial vessel passengers to suffer injuries. Operators have a duty to make sure conditions are ideal before allowing people to board a vessel for a voyage. Additionally, accidents can occur due to human errors and mechanical defects aboard a vessel. They also happen when a boat hits land and/or capsizes.
In the video above, maritime attorney David Anderson explains what you should do if you are injured in a boating accident. For more information about maritime accident news, visit our Facebook or Twitter pages, and continue to follow our blog.
Our firm has represented injured passengers for more than 50 years, from people who were hurt during boarding incidents to people who experienced slip-and-falls. If you have been injured in a commercial boating accident, speak to our maritime attorneys about your legal rights.
Latti Associates LLC – Nationwide Maritime Attorneys
Source: http://www.wcvb.com/news/8-injured-after-whale-watch-boat-hit-by-large-waves-off-plymouth/33134896