SCDNR investigating Cooper River accident

[JABIII]

CHARLESTON COUNTY, SC (WCSC) -
Officials with the Charleston Fire Department says that SCDNR is investigating an early morning boating accident.

Shortly after midnight on Sunday morning, the Charleston County Consolidated Dispatch Center received a 911 call for a reported boating collision with people in the water on the Cooper River near the Ravenel Bridge.

Marine, land and air units from CFD, NCFD, MPFD, CPD, CCSO, DNR, CCEMS, and USCG responded to the scene, officials say.

Charleston Fire Department Marine 101 arrived on scene to find a pleasure craft wedged in the dock near the Columbus Street Terminal and the lone occupant advising other occupants were in the water.

The vessel's operator advised he and two companions were returning to Daniel Island from Shem Creek when they struck the dredge pipe in the Cooper River, officials say.

Marine 101's crew conducted a quick search of the area, collected the three occupants and delivered them to the Charleston Maritime Center.

Charleston County EMS evaluated and released the three boaters.

North Charleston Fire Department Marine 201 remained with the damaged vessel and took preventive action to keep the vessel from sinking.

SCDNR was on scene to interview the boaters and they are investigating the incident.

Charleston Fire Department would like to remind all boaters to reduce speed when operating at night, be sure to post lookouts, remain vigilant for obstacles in the water, and have all operators and passengers wear personal flotation devices.

Copyright 2017 WCSC. All rights reserved.

http://www.live5news.com/story/35106...ating-accident

[ManvsDuck]

Without knowing anything about the experience or condition of the captain, I will say that the Cooper River is somewhat hairy to navigate at night.

[Rubberhead*]

I would never purposefully go seaward of the terminals when it's not good light and little fog.

[reeltight]

From Shem creek after midnight? I'm sure it wasn't an uber boat

[FishSticker]

That dredge operation over there is a shitshow. Several times thay I've been past it lately, it's not marked correctly for daytime operation much less for nightime.

[TheVisorGuy]

I can't navigate the cooper in broad daylight, much less dark

[SCDkhntr]

That area is a mess. They are dredging over in front of Columbus street and the piping is running to Drum Island. Not sure why he would have gone that way when leaving Shem Creek.

[Swamp Rat]

I was running a marine patrol boat in the Cooper near the old Navy Station a few years ago. Down there taking a class. Damn near hit one of those big yellow barrel dredge markers that was just UNDER the surface... I saw the boil in the tide and swung wide, just in time.

[Duck Tape]

We came back from the Bahamas straight into Charleston harbor when they were dredging. It was night time and we had the q-beam working. Saw a large cable about 20 feet in the air and barely avoided a collision with the mast.