COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Five people were injured when two boats collided on Lake Murray on Friday night, state officials said.
News outlets reported that the accident happened Friday evening. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources said a cabin cruiser boat carrying two people collided with a pontoon boat with six onboard.
A department spokeswoman said all the injuries happened to people on the pontoon boat, including two serious injuries. WISTV reported that the cabin cruiser sank following the accident.
The State reported that the accident happened in a popular part of Lake Murray between two peninsulas with restaurants and bars where boats can dock.
Sgt. Hunter Robinson of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources urged boaters to be careful during the busy Memorial Day weekend.
“It is dangerous,” he told WISTV.
“Even if you’re doing the right thing, everybody’s doing the right thing, there’s a lot of people out there. Be extra vigilant, especially at night to keep a good lookout, you know, for other boats and lights in the area because there are a lot of boats, there’s a lot of lights on the land. It just takes a good, designated driver to stay vigilant and keep an eye out.”