A father and son from Wellington, New Zealand, were injured when an explosion occurred on their boat at the Waikawa Marina in Picton on February 24.
According to Stuff, a local news and information website, the incident, which happened at around 9 a.m., may have been caused by a faulty fuel ventilation system on the vessel. It's possible that vapors were trapped on the watercraft and created the fireball once the engine was turned on.
"There was a gas explosion when they went to restart the launch. It appears there may have been ventilation issues on the launch," said Ian McNabb, chief executive of Port Marlborough, a company that owns and operates a number of terminals and facilities in the area, including the Waikawa Marina. "It could have been a lot worse."
The 42-year-old man suffered a moderate ankle injury and his 7-year-old boy had a serious cut on his foot from the debris. Both individuals appeared to be in a lot of pain, reports the source. They were initially treated by Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter and then flown to Wellington Hospital for further care.
Fortunately, no one else in the marina was injured by the explosion. The boat was eventually towed back to the launching ramp.
While watercraft owners may anticipate certain risks, the fact is that tragedy can occur at any time, even when they're doing something as simple as starting their vessel's engine. People who own boats – for either recreational or commercial purposes – may want to work with a marine insurance agency to gain access to the highest-rated providers in the industry and ensure that they are covered in the case of an unfortunate incident.