Memorial Day safety reminder after boat overturns near Oak Island

OAK ISLAND, NC (WWAY)– It was a frightening scene off the coast earlier this week after a boat capsized near Oak Island– sending several people and their dog into the water. Thanks to firefighters and first responders, everyone was rescued safely. This incident is a good reminder to check your equipment before heading out.

A calm afternoon at The Point in Oak Island looked picture-perfect Tuesday, with low tides, beachgoers in the sand and sunshine overhead. But conditions were far different just a day earlier when rough waters in Lockwood Folley Inlet caused a boat to capsize.

“What we experienced that day, the tides were moving very rapidly,” said Oak Island Fire Chief Lee Price.

According to Price, flat hull boat carrying four people and a dog overturned after the driver reportedly lost steering control near a shoal.

“Based on what the boat owner told me is that he lost his steering,” Price said. “It was a little bit rough that day, and it pushed him into the shoal. They took the waves, swamped the boat and turned it over.”

Witnesses called 911 around 2 p.m. Monday as multiple agencies responded by boat to the scene.

Before rescue crews arrived, another boater in the area managed to pull two people and the dog from the water. Oak Island Water Rescue and the town’s fire department later rescued the remaining two passengers using emergency boats and jet skis.

Officials said no major injuries were reported, and the dog was unharmed.

With Memorial Day weekend approaching and more boat traffic expected along the coast, Oak Island Water Rescue Assistant Chief James Beadle said crews are preparing for a busy stretch by increasing patrols and staffing rescue vessels.

“We will prepare for the weekend by having staffed vessels,” Beadle said. “We will be doing more patrols with our volunteers to get some of that wheel time that is so important.”

Beadle also urged boaters to take precautions before heading onto the water, including wearing life jackets, checking equipment and paying close attention to tides and currents.

“To prepare for situations like this is to really know the tides, know where they are going to be and the tide cycle, when it is going to traverse the inlet,” Beadle said. “It’s a lot different in low tide than it is in high tide.”

Officials also recommend, when boating near the inlet, stay war from shallow waters, drive your boat slow, and do not swim in the inlet.