Memorial Day Weekend Boat Crash On Georgia River Leaves 2 Dead, 3 Missing

A boat crash on Georgia’s Wilmington River over Memorial Day weekend has left two people dead. The incident occurred Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. as two center console boats collided at a convergence of the river in Chatham County, several miles east of downtown Savannah, GA.

According to Yahoo, a search is underway for three people who remain missing. The colliding boats were carrying a total of nine people. One boat contained three and the other contained six.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources reports that the boats were seen moving in opposite directions along the river when the crash occurred. One sunk following the crash while the other was badly damaged.

After the boat crash, two people were confirmed dead. Officials say that four passengers who were left with minor injuries were transported to a local hospital. One passenger who was rescued from the river was immediately flown to the hospital by the Coast Guard.

The three remaining missing individuals have been described as two men in their early 20s as well as a 37-year-old man. According to U.S. Coast Guard, all three men were last seen wearing board shorts and no shirts.

“Rough day today out here,” said Bill Koster, the chief of operations for Chatham County Emergency Services, who also added that first responders were in “recovery mode” as they continued the search for the three missing people.

First responders from several agencies are involved in the search for the remaining parties. They include Chatham County Marine Patrol, Georgia Department of Natural Resources game wardens, Savannah Fire, and Chatham Emergency Services. Sonar devices have been deployed in the search, as well as two helicopters operated by the U.S. Coast Guard.

The cause of the crash is unknown and remains under investigation, officials said.

Related: Sisters Drown After Being Knocked Overboard During Boat Party On Texas Lake