GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Five people were injured when two jet skis collided on Mountain Island Lake Sunday.
Authorities were called to the Gaston County side of Mountain Island Lake around 6:30 p.m. after the two watercraft collided, according to the Lucia-Riverbend Fire Department (LRFD).
Five people, including children, were removed from the water and transported by Gaston Emergency Medical Services for treatment.
"According to the witnesses, when they hit, both jet skis went straight up in the air and come down, which threw everybody off," David Toomey, the LRFD fire chief, said Monday.
Three juveniles were on one jet ski and two adults were on another, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, which is also investigating the crash.
As of Monday morning, two of the juveniles were still in the hospital.
It's unclear if any criminal charges will be filed as a result of the crash.
This is the fourth emergency the LRFD has responded to on the lake in the past four weeks.
“First incident we went on was a drowning," Toomey said. "Next was a medical issue on the water.”
Last week, he said, a jet ski crashed into a dock, which belonged to a homeowner along the lakeshore.
"I was in the house when I heard the bang," Willie Gray, the resident, said. "There was the jet ski and two ladies standing in the water by the dock.
Neither person was hurt.
"Thank goodness they didn’t get hurt," Gray explained. "They hit it with a pretty good force…. [and] broke some of the understructure, which I’m having to replace now.”
Gray said he moved to the lake more than 30 years ago. At that time, he said, it was like a quiet, undiscovered area of Gaston County. As the area has grown, so has boat traffic.
"I owned a boat for years and I wouldn’t even put it in the water on the weekend," Gray said. "It’s just too many people that don’t know the rules of the road.”
Those under the age of thirteen cannot drive a jet ski alone, and those 14 or 15 years of age should take a boating safety course or have a certified adult on board, according to the North Carolina Department of Wildlife.
“If you’re born on or after Jan. 1, 1988, you have to take the boater education course," Officer Chance Herron of the NC Wildlife explained.
Boaters could face a $50 fine for not taking the safety required safety course, according to Herron.
"We can't be everywhere at once, but we are enforcing it as hard as we can," Herron said. "Take a boater education class. We offer it, and you can take it online as well.”
As the investigation continues, officials encourage boaters to remain vigilant and review safety guidance before getting on the lake.
Contact Kayland Hagwood at khagwood@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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