A tragic incident at the Jersey Shore on Memorial Day claimed the life of a New Jersey boater who succumbed to injuries after being ejected from a boat during a collision.
According to NBC 10 Philadelphia, 28-year-old Gunnar Pearson was thrown from the vessel while it navigated Barnegat Bay, close to Brant Beach on Long Beach Island, at approximately 5:45 p.m. on Monday.
The accident occurred when the boat, which was carrying Pearson and five other individuals, reportedly hit a channel marker, resulting in Pearson and another passenger being flung into the water.
Despite the boat—a center-console motorboat—returning to retrieve them, it took about 15 minutes for the onboard passengers to rescue those who had been cast overboard.
The impaired boat eventually reached the shore, where Pearson and the second individual were immediately transported to the hospital, both in critical condition.
Sadly, Pearson, who hailed from nearby Barnegat, was declared deceased, as reported by the New Jersey State Police and covered by the outlet.
The other four boat passengers were hospitalized with minor injuries.
Officials have not shared an update or publicly named the five other victims, but Gunnar is believed to have been spending the day on the water with his parents, brother, and both their girlfriends, according to Jersey Shore Online.
“Their family were avid boaters,” Rafael Adorno told the local outlet, saying his son had attended Barnegat High School with Pearson, a high school track star, who graduated in 2017.
Residents near the scene said the area had become foggy, creating less-than-desirable conditions on the water moments before the disaster.
“Visibility wasn’t great, though, today, especially around high tide. We had some weather coming through, so sometimes you get bogged down behind the fog,” Brant Beach resident Steve Helewa told ABC 7.
The boat, towed back to a marina on Long Beach Island Monday, sustained substantial damage to the gunwale and upper hull on the port side.
Local workers didn’t speculate on the cause of the crash as officials continue their investigation.
“Boating accidents happen, just like car accidents happen… it’s a shame, especially on a holiday,” Brant Beach Yacht Club property manager Michael Dolida told NBC Philadelphia.
“You’re distracted for two seconds and life changes real quick,” Dolida said.
