Boat crash
 

A fatality was just reported by Bear Island, boat crash. Not much more info released yet.

https://www.wmur.com/article/man-kil...aukee/29748455

Boat crash
 

I saw this on the facebook group and now on WMUR, so tragic.

Awful!
 

Terrible news indeed!

I was on the lake yesterday and it felt like I was the only one out there...unfortunately I was wrong.....

Dan

boat accident
 

we haven't heard anything yet about this unfortunate accident. but just saw it on the news.

Boat Crash
 

Bear Island people are very special. Waiting for more details and keeping my hopes up.

I was just contacted by the Marine Patrol. The accident was right in front of my cabin. They wanted to know if I recorded images from the BearCam. I don't.

Brace yourself for more bad news.

Tragedy
 

Okay, rather than post “teasers” about a sensitive tragedy, here’s the latest: It now appears this was a collision of two boats and the second vessel has been located with a body. I hear it’s another longstanding Bear Island resident but out of deference to the families, I am not naming names.

Let’s show a little sensitivity folks.

Wow! Such a tragedy... Thank you for the update...

Dan

Bear Accident
 

FYI Dive teams present at Sheps all day. Searching at northern end of Bear. Much to be learned.

Oh no!!! So that means another person died?????

Bear Accident
 

Tis, sorry but that is what it appears.

As a fellow nearby islander, this hits close to home, and i just want to say to these families and the Bear Island community, I am so, so sorry for your losses here.

Thank you radioman for your reply. How sad. I feel terrible for them.

Here is the official update:

Two Dead One In Boat Accident

On November 9th, 2019, at approximately 6:11 p.m., the New Hampshire State Police-Marine Patrol was notified of a boating accident with injury on the north side of Bear Island. The initial report indicated the boat had possibly struck bottom.

Fireboats with EMS personnel from Meredith, Gilford, and Laconia responded to the scene along with Officers from Marine Patrol. The boat, a 20 foot Sea Ray, inboard/outboard, was found adrift just north of the Bear Island Post Office.

Aboard the boat was an injured female passenger who was suffering from head injuries. She was transported to the Meredith Town Docks located next to Shep Brown’s Boat Basin and later to Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia with serious but non-life threatening injuries. The operator of the boat, a male, was pronounced dead at the scene.

As the investigation continued throughout the evening and into the following morning, Marine Patrol Investigators determined that there was likely another unidentified vessel or structure involved in the collision. While investigating the cause of the accident, Marine Patrol Officers received a report of a possible missing boater from Bear Island. Evidence collected at the scene was determined to match the description of the missing boater’s vessel.

Marine Patrol Officers and Gilford Fire personnel utilized specialized equipment to conducted grid searches in an effort to isolate the location of the collision. The State Police Air Wing - Helicopter and divers from New Hampshire Fish & Game Department were also utilized to assist with searching the area where the collision was believed to have occurred. Based on this collaborative effort, divers from New Hampshire Fish & Game shortly located the second vessel in approximately 48 feet of water. Moments later, divers also located a deceased male subject within the submerged vessel.

Through the initial evidence obtained at the scene and a witness account, it is believed that the two vessels collided with one another while underway; however, all facts and circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation. The names of those involved are being withheld at this time pending notification of next of kin.

New Hampshire State Police – Marine Patrol was assisted by Officers from the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department, Gilford Fire & Rescue, the Laconia Fire Department, Meredith Fire and Police Departments and the New Hampshire State Police Air Wing

Marine Patrol is requesting anyone who may have witnessed this incident or may have heard anything on the water in the area of Bear, Pine or Three Mile Islands, to please contact Sergeant Dave Ouellette at Marine Patrol, 603-227-2111.

Yes, I just saw that. How awful!!

Thoughts and prayers to all the families involved. So hard to understand with little to no boat traffic this time of year. Such a terrible shame. [emoji22]


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Boat Accident
 

When you learn the names of those involved you will be shocked!

Tragic end to boating season
 

I think we will all be very sad for the lives lost and for the families left behind....more sad than shocked. Terrible tragedy.

No matter who it is it’s a tragedy but I hope neither were fellow forum members


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Sad story for sure, but how do two boats collide--enough for one to sink--and a passenger and the condition of the boat not make it obvious?

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Is this really necessary? You should either name names, or not say anything, least of all make a little "game" of it with a tease...

It was clear from the damage and paint streaks that there had been another boat. But the second boat was an old model with no flotation, and it sank. So it took a while to puzzle out where it was and who it belonged to.

The survivor never saw the second boat - she thought that they had run aground.

My wife and I were just piecing this together and she pointed out that at the time of the incident it would've been dark/getting dark and that the woman might have been confused and disoriented.

This is especially horrible when thinking of that, especially when considering the odds of collision at this time of the year.

My sympathies go out to those affected.

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Pretty amazing that they found the sunken boat so quick in 48' of water when the only clue to begin the search was the other boat adrift... (unless they had other info to go by that I am not aware of).

I agree 100%....this is not a game, and is definitely not entertaining. I cannot imagine what the survivor and other family members are enduring.

Im going to give radioman the benefit of the doubt. really don’t think he was making light of this terrible accident maybe he is suggesting they are long time experienced boaters and surprise this happened.


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Seriously?
 

This could have been several members of my extended family who have homes on Bear. It wasn’t, thank God. It could have been someone in my direct family - we are often on the lake late in the season. But it was people well known on Bear Island. How about we let the authorities release the names when they know the families have been informed and not sensationalize this tragic accident. Geez. This most certainly is not a game.

They found it with a towed side scan sonar.

My thoughts are with those involved, their family and friends, and the Bear Island community. This hurts my heart.


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Very sad and certainly not something you would expect on the lake this time of year with so little boat traffic. :(

My thoughts are the opposite on "this time of year with so little boat traffic"

I see this time of year as the time where people will stretch the rules because they know there is no one out and less marine patrol presence.

Don't have a spotter, eeh there's no marine patrol out its November, speed limit? Who's going to pull me over its November. 150' foot rule, there's no one home on that island they wont care its post season. It doesn't make any of it right but I feel people will naturally try to get away with what they can and pre and post season are perfect for those people....

Not saying breaking any rules had anything to do with this crash at all. I honestly have no idea what happened.

If Biggd was thinking similarly to me, he was thinking more about the numbers game. Statistically, there are close to zero boats to collide with.

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OR take it from somebody who is out there all 4 seasons....

When it comes to being out there this time of year at night it is DARK. Very DARK, the MP has already posted they pulled all the flashers, pretty much all island residents but a mere few are gone, therefore there is nothing to light up anything on a moonless night, especially if there is even the hint of a layer of fog out there. It can be very disorientating out there I know I have been there before. I can tell you unequivocally island residents don't screw around out there at least the ones that are there this time of year. This appears to be a very tragic and unfortunate accident and yes accidents do happen for whatever reason it doesn't always have to be due to carelessness. While I do not know the identities of all involved anyone who recognizes the boat that was initially pictured on the WMUR web site knows at least on party. This is extremely sad and for all of us who are island residents know the special friendships that are forged as a result because we all know and depend on one another.

My sincerest condolences and prayers go out to the families of those involved.

Well said and so true. I’m on the island late and early in season. Everyone I know is more careful during these times.

One of the reports online (Union Leader) states that the boat that sank was a Penn Yan driven by a man in his 80's, hardly a speedy vessel.

Since the 1950s, Highly Desired...
 

The Penn Yan Swift and a Merc wasn't any slouch.

Just say'n…

Would gazing at GPS come into this?

Island Carefulness
 

I think we are all in agreement here, just in different ways. Statistically there are at least 95% less boats on the lake after November 1st compared with peak season between July 4th and Labor Day, so there is much less of a chance of an incident happening. At the same time as an Islander myself who pushes the season as far as possible, you absolutely make sure that all the factors are as much as possible in your favor early and late season. Call it careful, call it smart, call it aware or whatever you want. Islanders definitely do not screw around in the shoulder seasons when the water is cold and the days are short.

Im sure we'll eventually find out what happened here, but either way we lost two souls to a tragedy.

Hal Lyon & Jim Hanson RIP
 

https://www.laconiadailysun.com/news...ed612a014.html

So sad.....

Dan

Here’s what I can piece together; if anyone has corrections or more information, please add them:

On Saturday evening, 9 Nov, Jim and Carmel Hanson were leaving Bear Island and heading for Shep Brown’s.

Hal Lyon had been muzzle-loader deer hunting on Meredith neck. He parked his car at Shep Brown’s and headed for Bear Island.

Around 6 p.m., just north of the “no wake” zone between Bear and Pine and closer to the latter, they collided. Both boaters knew that part of the lake very well. They were probably hugging Pine to cut the tip of the no-wake “triangle”.

Sunset was about 4:30. The moon was up in the east, three-quarters full. Passing clouds. 6 mph wind from south/southeast. Temp just below freezing.

Jim and Carmel’s Sea Ray bowrider stayed afloat. Carmel suffered head injuries but was able to call 911. They got her to Shep Browns and an ambulance took her to Lakes Region.

She never saw the other boat and thought that they had run aground.

It was clear from the damage to the Sea Ray, though, that there had been a collision with a second boat, and that the second boat was blue.

Hal’s car was at Shep Brown’s, but his old blue Penn Yan was not on his dock at Bear. He wasn’t answering his phone.

The Penn Yan was old enough to not have floatation, so the Marine Patrol figured it was on the bottom. A towed side scan sonar was brought in and located it in 48 feet of water just east of Pine Island (off that red double-bay boathouse). Divers found Hal still in it.

I think Jim and Hal were both killed instantly by trauma. Looks like Carmel will recover.

I’ve never met Carmel. I didn’t know Jim well. But I knew Hal well. He was a kind and educated man who loved the outdoors. I’m still waking up mornings and wondering if I just had a bad dream, but I’m going to miss him when it sinks in.