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‘IT JUST CATAPULTED US': Big waves cause big problems as three are hospitalized (PHOTOS)
Three men were injured aboard the charter boat Tropical Winds Friday afternoon.
As the boat was headed out through the pass on what was to be an overnight fishing trip, swells rocked the vessel and passengers were tossed around.
“It just catapulted us,” said Paul Burchfield of Georgia who was one of 11 fishermen aboard the boat.
He said everybody went airborne and then “just hit the deck,” noting that the boat dropped faster than they did.
“When it came down, I hit the rail sideways,” said Harvey Wadsworth. He then fell overboard.
“I swam down, as deep as I could get. And when I thought the boat had passed I came up,” Wadsworth said.
At that point, the crew aboard Capt. Tommy Klosterman’s Tropical Winds threw Wadsworth a life ring, and he climbed back over the side of the boat.
Two of the three that were injured suffered from lacerations and the other a bump to the head. Though LifeFlight was called initially, the three were transported by ambulance.
The incident, which is still under investigation, came on a day that saw rough seas due to blustery weather.
