Small boat on ocean

Authorities in the US state of New Jersey are investigating after an 18-year-old was fatally injured by a boat propeller while trying to board the vessel from a raft.

The victim, Zeina Mahafzah, was struck in the waters off Sunset Park in Harvey Cedars, Ocean County, at approximately 4.30 p.m. on Sunday (25 August 2024).

According to New Jersey State Police, Mahafzah was on a raft that was being towed by a boat. She was struck by the propellor while attempting to get onto the boat from the raft, and later died from her injuries.

Details about the number of people on board and the identity of the boat’s driver have not been disclosed. NBC Philadelphia reports that the boat was being driven by her father. Multiple others were traumatised in the accident and were later evaluated by EMS.

“As the investigation is in its preliminary stages, we ask that you keep the family and community in your thoughts and prayers,” the Harvey Cedars Police Department said in a statement.

Mahafzah had recently graduated from Wayne Hills High School and was preparing to attend Rutgers University.

“We have been in contact with the family and are respecting their wishes, so we have no comment at this time,” Wayne Township Superintendent Mark Toback told NJ.com.

Sunset Park, where the incident took place, is on the bay side of Harvey Cedars, in the northern part of Long Beach Island.

Propeller strikes can often be prevented through proper safety measures, such as turning off the engine when people are in the water, using propeller guards and ensuring clear communication among those on board. When they do occur, such strikes can cause severe, often life-threatening injuries or death due to the power and speed of the rotating blades.

In January 2023, a British woman suffered horrific injuries after being sliced by the propeller of a dive boat while snorkelling in Mexico on holiday with her husband. Amor Armitage, who was 37 at the time of the incident, shared details of her accident online in a bid to raise awareness of the dangers of boat propellers.

In 2022, a young Colombian woman was fatally struck by a boat propeller after jumping behind a boat to retrieve her flip-flops.

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