Five people were hospitalized after their boat flipped over near a sandbar on the Colorado River over Memorial Day weekend, officials confirmed on Monday.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said its marine enforcement unit was dispatched to the boat accident at 5:07 p.m. on Saturday.
Crews arrived at the area of the river near Blankenship Bend to find several people suffering injuries and the overturned boat floating in shallow water.
“According to witnesses, the boat was traveling at a high rate of speed during a turning movement and the port sponson caught a chine causing the boat to flip over,” detailed the department’s release.
The driver of the boat and a female passenger each sustained major injuries, and the other three passengers were transported to Havasu Regional Medical Center for minor injuries.
Officials said the boat operator was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center and the female passenger was taken to University Medical Center, both in Nevada.
The names, ages and genders of the passengers were not immediately provided.
The sheriff’s department said the incident is currently under investigation, but that “it appears speed was a factor in the accident.”
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Deputy Bradley Whitmer of the Colorado River Station/Needles Police Department at 760-326-9200.
To remain anonymous, callers can contact the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78CRIME (27463), or leave information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com
