MERLIN, Ore. – One passenger on the Hellgate Jetboat Excursions jet boat that was involved in a crash with a private jet boat on the Rogue River Sunday, caught the accident on camera.
Mitch Ruis was filming using his GoPro during the accident and provided a still frame to NBC5 News of the private jet boat, turned sideways, right before impact.
Ruis, who sat at the front of the Hellgate jetboat told NBC5 News, “we had two more Hellgate jetboats immediately behind us as we were on the way up river from the OK Corral Brunch. I counted six (sic people) in the water and confirmed after finally finding the small boat captain that he had six on board. I immediately yelled back to our boat captain to radio back to his partner Hellgate boats that they had six souls in the water coming his way. After that, the only thing we could do was check the worthiness of our vessel and get the injuries back up to Hellgate jet boat headquarters.”
He believes that the captain of the private jet boat turned sideways just before the collision, saving the lives of people on his boat.
Another Hellgate passenger, Damien Rennie, was out with his family and friends on the second Hellgate jet boat, when he realized something happened.
Rennie, his friend Brad, and the boat’s skipper, pulled three people out of the water to safety.
“All of a sudden there was a bunch of commotion and I looked up and all of a sudden saw people and belongings in the river. Him (Brad) and I were quick to jump over the rail and start pulling people in,” Rennie said.
He also says they used life-jackets to aid an injured woman who was later taken to the hospital. There’s no word on her condition.
An investigation into the crash is currently ongoing.
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