ANNAPOLIS, Md. — In a jaw-dropping scene straight out of an action movie, a U.S. Coast Guardsman launched himself from a speeding patrol boat onto a wildly circling, unmanned motorboat Thursday, throttling it down to safety just moments before it could slam into other vessels or swimmers on the busy Severn River.
Video of the heart-stopping maneuver, captured by witnesses and shared widely online, shows the white recreational boat spinning out of control after its operator was tossed overboard. The vessel’s engines were still roaring at full tilt, turning the 20-something-foot craft into a deadly missile on the water.
According to accounts from the scene near Annapolis, the man was chasing his son on a jet ski and trying to whip up some waves when he caught the edge of his own wake. With the engines trimmed up, the boat lurched violently and ejected him. His quick-thinking son pulled dad from the water immediately, but the boat kept going in tight, dangerous circles.
Local responders and nearby boaters watched helplessly at first as the runaway vessel tore through the waterway. Then the pros arrived.
A Coast Guard patrol boat roared in, expertly pinning the circling craft in a turn. Without hesitation, one crew member leaped aboard the moving boat, grabbed the controls, and killed the engines — bringing the chaos to a safe stop. The Guardsmen later towed the vessel in after recovering the operator. No one was injured.
The viral clip has racked up millions of views, with boaters nationwide calling it “badass,” “heroic,” and a masterclass in training.
But officials and safety experts aren’t celebrating just yet. They’re using the close call to hammer home a blunt message: Wear your damn kill switch lanyard.
Federal law requires engine cut-off switches on most recreational boats under 26 feet. The simple clip attaches to the operator and yanks free if he or she goes overboard, instantly killing the engines. This incident, like so many others, could have been prevented in seconds.
“Another kill switch lesson learned,” one witness posted alongside the footage. The boat had even begun to slow after snagging a crabber’s trotline, but the risk to others on the water remained real until the Coast Guard stepped in.
Boating groups and the Coast Guard have ramped up reminders as the summer season heats up: That little lanyard isn’t optional, it’s a lifesaver for the operator, passengers, and everyone else sharing the water.
