8-Year-Old Loses Arm, Leg in Tubing Accident
According to WSYR-TV, an 8-year-old girl injured in a tubing accident in Skaneateles lost both an arm and a leg as a result of her injuries.
Details of the Gruesome Accident
A preliminary report indicates that the girl and her father were launched from a tube after it struck the wake of the Bayliner that was towing the tube. The boat’s propeller struck them when it circled around to retrieve them.
The incident occurred near the West Lake Road at the state boat launch, and was reported around 6 p.m. The identities of the boat operator and its passengers are being currently withheld by the Sheriff’s Office.
The girl, Kaelynne Driscoll, is still in critical condition, according to Upstate University Hospital. Her father, Christopher Driscoll, 32, remains in stable condition.
Maritime Accident Statistics
The following information was provided by the U.S. Coast Guard:
- 4,158 boating accidents were reported to the U.S. Coast Guard in 2015, resulting in 626 deaths and 2,613 injuries.
- In incidents in which cause of death was known, 76% of boating deaths were attributed to drowning.
- 85% of those drowning victims were not wearing life jackets.
- 22 children under the age of 13 were killed in boating accidents in 2015.
- Open motorboats accounted for the highest percent of boating fatalities at 45%.
