Charles Sanchez was pronounced dead at St. Luke’s Hospital after he and another man were thrown from their watercraft on Saturday
A New Jersey man died and another was injured after two jet skis collided on the Hudson River over Memorial Day weekend, according to police.
A 48-year-old Saddlebrook man and a 49-year-old Lodi man were traveling north on the river in Newburgh, N.Y., on Saturday when the jet skis they were operating crashed into one another, according to a news release from the New York State Police (NYSP).
The 49-year-old, identified by police as David Torres, and his passenger, 48-year-old Charles Sanchez of Belleville, “were thrown into the river” as a result of the crash, NYSP said.
Boaters who were at a nearby marina “immediately offered aid” and helped everyone involved get out of the river.
The two men who were thrown from the jet ski, described by NYSP as a 2017 Yamaha, were transported to St. Luke’s Hospital following the crash.
Sanchez was pronounced dead at the hospital according to police. The man who was driving the jet ski he was riding was listed in “critical condition.”
None of the men involved in the crash had consumed alcohol beforehand, the NYSP said.
Alcohol is the leading known contributing factor in deadly boating accidents, according to the National Safe Boating Council (NSBC). In 2021, more than 100 people died in boating accidents involving alcohol, or 16% of the total fatalities.
As part of National Safe Boating Week 2023, the NSBC released a collection of tips for those who plan to be on the water. The council encourages boaters to check their equipment and take a boating safety course before even hitting the water.
The NSBC also suggests making a float plan and watching the weather on days where boaters go out. Once on the water, boaters are encouraged to wear a life jacket and have an open line of communication of some sort.
The council recommends boaters “know what’s going on” around them at all times and travel at safe speeds, as well.