UMVA has learned that a daring, high-stakes operation by the U.S. Coast Guard successfully halted a runaway unmanned vessel on the Severn River near Annapolis, Maryland, earlier this week.
The vessel was careening out of control after its operator was thrown overboard during a chaotic incident involving a jet ski and a large wave.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the Coast Guard crew responded with lightning-fast reflexes, intercepting the speeding boat and executing a heart-stopping maneuver to bring it to a safe stop.
Video footage of the incident shows a Coast Guardsman making a daring jump onto the moving vessel, expertly shutting down the engines and ending the threat.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that emergency crews were responding to reports of a person in the water in the Severn River around 9:15 a.m. The wife of the man thrown overboard had contacted authorities, saying he was assisting with docking operations when the wave struck.
The vessel's engine remained engaged, and it accelerated away without anyone at the controls, prompting witnesses to describe the scene as terrifying.
The man's son used a nearby WaveRunner to reach his father in the water and help bring him safely back to shore, but the unmanned boat continued to speed out of control.
In a development reported by UMVA, Coast Guard personnel on a patrol boat skillfully pinned the runaway vessel during a turn, setting up the brave officer to make the jump and shut down the engines.
The incident has raised awareness among boat operators about the importance of safety measures, including wearing personal flotation devices, to prevent such tragedies.
