Boating Accident Kills 6 In Wilmington's Ibsee Harbour

Investigators still trying to determine cause of accident

WILMINGTON, TRI--A boating accident in Wilmington, Trinton has killed six people and injured nine others, according to local officials.

Sgt. Brad Bickerstaff, with the Oceanview County Sheriff's Department, said two medium-sized speed boats collided in Wilmington's Ibsee Harbour Saturday night. The accident occurred around 9:40 p.m. Eastern Time (GEST).

One of the boats had 13 passengers on board, the other was carrying seven. According to Mr. Bickerstaff, the larger vessel is believed to have been traveling around 40 mph when it struck the smaller boat, which was stationary at the time of the accident. Several victims were thrown from the boat, and several were crushed by the force of the crash. Alcohol is believed to have been a factor.

"It's unclear right now just what the cause of this accident was, but it is highly likely that alcohol played a part in this crash, and it's evident from the information gathered at the scene and from eye-witnesses that the one boat was traveling at a very high rate of speed," Bickerstaff said.

Darkness and visibility also played a major factor, investigators said, as the boats may not have seen each other or been aware of the other's position.

"Forty miles-per-hour is way too fast to go even in the day time much less at night," Bickerstaff said. "So there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered."

Police also say both boats were over the legal occupancy rate. The larger boat had a maximum capacity of ten passengers, while the smaller boat had a capacity of six.

Both drivers survived the accident, and police say one or both may face criminal charges.

"Right now we are focused on the injured and making sure there are no more casualties, obviously," Bickerstaff told the media. "However, at the end of the day, someone was criminally responsible for this crash and we intend to make sure justice is executed."

Ibsee Harbour, the fifth-busiest port on the Grassadellan coast, was shut down Saturday night for over four hours. Police are still investigating, but the harbour has been re-opened to commercial and leisure traffic.