WILMINGTON, N.C. — The Coast Guard and a good Samaritan boater came to the aid of two injured jet skiers Sunday after a collision south of Cedar Point.
Two jet skis, one carrying two people and the other carrying three, collided just west of the Cameron Langston Bridge in Bogue Sound about half mile south of Cedar Point at about 11 a.m., injuring two of the people involved.
A good Samaritan boater witnessed the collision, notified the Coast Guard and pulled one injured jet skier from the water.
A Coast Guard 24-foot Special Purpose Craft-Shallow Water crew from Coast Guard Station Emerald Isle responded, arriving on scene at about 11:20 a.m., to find the good Samaritan and an uninjured jet skier both in the water attending to an unresponsive jet skier.
The Coast Guard crew determined the unresponsive jet skier was breathing, pulled the skier from the water and embarked the other injured jet skier, initially rescued by the good Samaritan.
The Coast Guard brought both jet skiers to the Carteret boat ramp located at the end of Manatee Rd. in Cape Carteret, where they were placed in the care of Western Carteret EMS at 11:38 a.m.
The good Samaritan towed the jet skis to shore.
The responsive jet skier suffered an arm injury. The condition of the unresponsive jet skier is unknown.
“Thankfully, both jet skiers were wearing a life jacket; a PFD helps to keep an unresponsive person afloat as they can’t swim,” said Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Timothy Ryan, response boat coxswain for the case. “We are also grateful for the assistance from the good Samaritan who reported the collision and helped out before we arrived. Preparing in advance and helping fellow mariners often means the difference between life and death when things go wrong out on the water.”