Men Capsize in North Carolina Waters

Three men were recently enjoying a day on North Carolina’s water when they found themselves stranded. The boat they were in capsized, leaving the men alone in the water with no way back to shore. The men were rescued by responders after being stranded on the Shackleford Banks.

Each of the men are reported safe and without injury. The boat the men were riding in was later found washed up on the ocean side. It is unclear what caused the 18-foot flat bottom vessel to turn over.

While, thankfully, these men were all rescued and returned to their loved ones safely, the incident brings to light the necessity to remind boaters what to do if they find themselves capsized and in the water. Do you know what to do if your boat turns over? Follow these safety tips to better your chances of getting home.

Stay with the Boat

Unless your boat sinks to the bottom, stay with it. Your chances of being rescued are increased greatly if you are with the boat when it is found. If someone is looking for you from the air, you and the boat make a much larger target than just you alone.

Make Yourself Larger

Speaking of being a larger target, anything that you can tether to the boat will make you easier to see. Retrieve as many items as possible that have been lost from the boat. Tie anything that floats directly to the boat, and release other items into the water to create a debris field. This field will help spotters locate your boat from the air.

Get On the Hull

It may seem counter-intuitive to climb onto the hull of the boat because of the fear of sunburn. The best thing that you can do, however, is to climb aboard. Water will leech your body’s heat 25 times faster than the air. This increases your risk of hypothermia.

Do Not Panic

If you panic, your body will lose valuable energy. Stay as calm as possible. If you filed a boating plan with someone on shore, people know where you are. When you do not return when you were supposed to, someone will report you missing and send out a search party.

If you have been injured in any type of boating accident, our attorneys are here to help get you the compensation you deserve. Call our offices today for a free initial consultation. We are here for you.