A man was killed in a boating accident that also injured five others at the Jersey Shore on Memorial Day.
Gunnar Pearson, 28, of Barnegat, New Jersey, was a passenger on a boat that struck a channel marker in Barnegat Bay off the Brant Beach section of Long Beach Township, New Jersey, around 5:45 p.m. on Monday.
Pearson and another person were thrown into the water, according to investigators. Pearson later died from his injuries, New Jersey State Police announced on Tuesday.
The other person who fell in the water remains in critical condition while four others who were on the boat suffered minor injuries, according to investigators.
Witnesses said the crash happened suddenly.
“We just heard like a really loud bang from it, and we weren’t like positive like what was going on, but we saw people in the water,” witness Ford Hansen said.
Authorities said no other boats appear to have been involved in the crash.
Witnesses said those on board struggled to rescue the people who had been thrown into the bay.
“The boat kept going, and because they didn’t have time to turn around, and they were obviously shocked,” witness Sean Stretch said.
“They were out there for a solid, like 15 minutes, trying to pick them up, get them on the boat,” Hansen said.
The damaged boat was later brought to a marina in the Brant Beach section of Long Beach Township, where first responders treated the victims.
“I saw this guy just laying down on the ground and receiving CPR,” Hansen said. “I’ve never seen something like that in my life, so it’s pretty, pretty traumatizing.”
Officials say six people have been hospitalized — two in critical condition — after a boat crashed off the shore of Long Beach, New Jersey. NBC10’s Brenna Weick has the latest details.
The crash remains under investigation. Authorities have not said what may have caused the boat to hit the channel marker.
Michael Dolida, property manager of Brant Beach Yacht Club, said boating accidents can happen quickly.
“You’re distracted for two seconds and life changes real quick,” Dolida said.
At around 11 p.m. on Monday, the boat was extracted from the water by investigators.
“Boating accidents happen, just like car accidents happen… it’s a shame, especially on a holiday,” Dolida said.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.