Media coverage of 2023 recreational boat propeller accidents.

If you are aware of coverage of a 2023 propeller accident that is not reported here, please contact us.

Fatal accidents are coded immediately in front of the reporting data as:

D indicates a U.S. fatality

D indicates a fatality outside the U.S.

April

• 15 April accident in Bengal – 15 April 2024 Millenium Post (Bengal) “Digha: Woman injured after being hit by speed boat while bathing in sea” reports a woman was bathing in the ocean at Digha on Monday April 15, 2024. Yasmin Khatun was wearing a life jacket when the boat ran over her. She suffered multiple propeller strikes.
• D 14 April accident – 15 April 2024 Local 10 (Florida) “Man dies after being knocked off boat, into propeller while fishing off Key West” reports Timothy Adam Christianson, 35 of Pennsylvania, was operating a 24 ft Sea Fox south of Key West, Florida. Another man was with him when a wave hit the boat about 10am. Christianson was ejected, struck and killed by the propeller.
• D 7 April accident in New Zealand – 13 April Northern Advocate (New Zealand) “Person dies after suspected boat accident at Whangārei Heads, Northland” reports someone was struck by a boat propeller at Whangarei Heads, Northland, New Zealand on Sunday 7 April 2024. Emergency crews were unable to revive them.
  UPDATE – his family identified him as Shelford Hawira. They say he died of a heart attack, not from a propeller strike.

March

• 31 March accident in Australia – 1 April 2024 7News Australia “Man in hospital after boating accident at Turkey Beach, Queensland” reports a man in his 20s was struck by a boat propeller at Turkey Beach in Queensland Australia on Sunday 31 March. He suffered significant wounds to his back and chest. The man was taken to Gladstone Hospital.
• 30 March accident – 31 March WPBF (Florida) “Teen Airlifted from Boating Accident in Sebastian” reports a 16 year-old girl fell from a small boat near the Captain Hiram Resort in Sebastian, Florida when the boat struck a wake on Saturday 30 March. She was struck by the propeller and life-flighted to the hospital. A nearby boat brought in a 17 year-old male on the same vessel.
• 8 March accident – 9 March 2024 WPTV (Florida) “Marine unit deputy suffers serious injuries after thrown from his vessel” reports a St. Lucie Florida County Deputy was ejected from his boat, likely by a rogue wave, and struck by the propeller on 8 March. He was life flighted to HCA Florid Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce. The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Good Samaritans who immediately came to his rescue and took life saving actions, the USCG station at Fort Pierce, MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife, St Lucie County Fire District, and medical personnel at Lawnwood HCA Trauma Center for assisting their seriously injured officer.

January

• 20 January accident in Maldives – 23 January 2024 DiverNet “Prop severs female diver’s leg in Maldives” reports A 62 year old lady was struck by a boat propeller in the Maldives on 20 January 2024. She became caught in a buoy that as entangled in the propeller. Her leg was chopped off at the knee. Responders were unable to find her leg. She was taken to Tree Top Hospital.

Previous Year – 2023 Boat Propeller Accidents

See the See the U.S. Coast Guard Boat Accident Statistics page for annual boat accident statistics of accidents reported to them meeting certain criteria.