• sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      13 hours ago

      He described the relief of seeing both people on board the boat pop open the hatch. “Oh my gosh, it’s just a miracle,” Ticknor said.

      Ticknor being the event organizer.

      https://youtube.com/watch?v=sSl2846EPl4

      The pilots suffered multiple fractures, including a broken knee.

      I’d call a broken knee alone a serious injury…

      Had their injuries been more serious, they may have been unable to escape the sinking boat.

      Had the boat landed in a different orientation, or done a different, completely undpredictable, uncontrolled aerial manuever, such that it impacted the water with more speed, the boat could have broken apart on landing or become structurally comprised much more seriously, and thus the pilots would be sinking much more rapidly, likely with more serious injuries.

      Though this boat and its safety cage performed admirably in terms of structural stability… similar crashes to this have maimed and killed a good number of folks in the history of hydroplane/powerboat events.