Three unidentified girls were injured on a recreational boat that they were on with their parents when the boat exploded and caught fire.

About The Boating Accident

According to Reuters, the three girls, ages 3, 8, and 9, were on a recreational boat that exploded after launching on Mill Creek at 11:30 a.m.

The three girls were airlifted to Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. with burn injuries. The 3-year-old was in critical condition.

The conditions of the adults on the boat were not immediately available.

Maritime Accident Statistics

The following information was provided by the U.S. Coast Guard:

• In 2012, the Coast Guard counted 4515 accidents that involved 651 deaths, 3,000 injuries and approximately $38 million dollars of damage to property as a result of recreational boating accidents.
  • The fatality rate was 5.4 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels. This rate represents a 12.9% decrease from last year’s fatality rate of 6.2 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels.
  • Compared to 2011, the number of accidents decreased 1.6%, the number of deaths decreased 14.1% and the number of injuries decreased 2.6%.
• The most common types of vessels involved in reported accidents were open motorboats (47%), personal watercraft (19%), and cabin motorboats (15%).