Committee discusses Masonboro safety

MASONBORO ISLAND, NC (WWAY) — Every Fourth of July, crowds of people invade Masonboro Island to party, and most of them are not local.

"All they know is, if I show up on a boat ramp with 50 bucks in my hand, or 20 bucks in my hand, I will get a ride to some place where I can have a party," says Coastal Reserve Manager Hope Sutton.

A committee of local residents and leaders discussed ways to fix the problem Monday evening. Coastal Reserve Manager Hope Sutton says she is more concerned about safety then all the trash left on the island. She says there were over 100 injuries treated last year.

"There was a young guy who sliced his thigh on a propeller of a boat down to the bone and almost bleed out before he got back to the hospital."

The committee discussed increasing law enforcement, installing signs to warn partiers of dangerous currents, and even monitoring how intoxicated visitors are before arriving on the island.

A few leaders mentioned restricting use of the island on July 4, but most agree it is not fair to punish those who are not breaking any laws.