Accident Today at Jungle Cruise

[kath1210]

We were very excited to see that the Jungle Cruise ride at MK was open today. I don't think I have ridden it for 20 years. While we were waiting in line to board, we witnessed an accident.

While passengers just started to get off of one boat, another boat hit it from behind. The cast members who were helping people off the first boat were truly heroes, as they grabbed a woman and a little girl and kept them from falling off the boat or between the boat and the dock. One of the cast members suffered a bad neck injury while doing this - it looked like the metal frame of the boat smacked him in the neck. He was clearly ina great deal of pain, and was taken off in a body and neck brace on a stretcher. The woman he saved from falling was fitted with a neck brace. The little girl and the cast member who helped the little girl both seemed to be OK.

The second boat apparently stalled completely and there was nothing the captain could do to stop it from slamming into the first boat. That captain looked very shaken up, and that boat was taken off the ride circuit.

It reminded me that we all need to be aware of our own safety, even at Disney. The passengers from the first boat probably should not have been let off until someone was certain that the boat behind was stopped. But we also need to be aware and watch for potential accidents.

We did ride the cruise and had a hilarious captain. But we were also extra careful in getting off of our boat. My prayers go out to the cast member and guest who were hurt.

 

[CentralFloridian99]

God Bless those hurt people! So the ride operated fine? NO couple hour closures? If it didn't close for a little bit, thats odd.

 

[kath1210]

No it did not close. They delayed for a few minutes to move the stalled boat out of the main area, but then it went on as normal. The problem was clearly that one boat.

 

[CindyV]

wow very scary, hope everyone is doing ok

 

[Dustykins]

Oh my! Scary! I hope my sister wasn't working yesterday (she works at the Jungle Cruise).

 

[Tomh]

It seems to me that if I remember correctly the boats at Jungle Cruise never really stop, they switch back and forth between forward thrust, and backwards thrust. The pilot simply does this often enough to keep them from moving much. If the engine were to stall during forward thrust so the pilot could not reverse it, then the boat would probably move forward and bump the boat in front of it.

I always thought when we were on those boats that system was a recipe for an accident, wonder if they will change it now, or just write this off as the cost of doing business.

 

[ocean134]

I hate seeing things like this. I hope everyone is OK!

 

[Robo]

It seems to me that if I remember correctly the boats at Jungle Cruise never really stop, they switch back and forth between forward thrust, and backwards thrust. The pilot simply does this often enough to keep them from moving much. If the engine were to stall during forward thrust so the pilot could not reverse it, then the boat would probably move forward and bump the boat in front of it.

I always thought when we were on those boats that system was a recipe for an accident, wonder if they will change it now, or just write this off as the cost of doing business.

They can set the throttle to a "neutral" position.

We've been just "floating" many times (no motion either direction,) without the skipper jockeying the throttle.

I'm not sure what the OP meant by "stalled," but yes, if the boat (any boat, really) is moving in a forward direction and the engine quits, the pilot can't do much of anything to stop it.
(Throwing out the anchor is not really an option on JC.)

 

[kath1210]

Robo - By "stalled" I meant the engine died. In fact, to get it off the course, they had to physically push the boat into the little lagoon area behind the last bend.

 

[Robo]

Robo - By "stalled" I meant the engine died. In fact, to get it off the course, they had to physically push the boat into the little lagoon area behind the last bend.

Yup. That's what I figured you meant.
But, some people get confused by the motion of the BOAT versus the running of the engine.
(A boat can stall (as in stop moving or slow way down) or an engine on a boat can stall (as in stop running.)

And, as I mentioned above, if a power ("stink") boat is in motion and loses its engine power (or snaps its propellor or drive shaft,) there's no quick way to stop the boat's motion.
So, plowing into the boat ahead was inevitable.

.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . The problem was clearly that one boat.

1) The problem could have been the first boat.
2) But, the fault would have been the second boat.
3) The "captain" should have stopped in time.
4) Not continuing into the first boat.
5) Probably lack of attention.
. . . the boats are on tacks, so going around wasn't an option
. . . the second boat should have been slower
. . . the captain could have then reversed to halt the boat
. . . this would have prevented a crash

 

[Robo]

1) The problem could have been the first boat.
2) But, the fault would have been the second boat.
3) The "captain" should have stopped in time.
4) Not continuing into the first boat.
5) Probably lack of attention.
. . . the boats are on tacks, so going around wasn't an option
. . . the second boat should have been slower
. . . the captain could have then reversed to halt the boat
. . . this would have prevented a crash

We have discussed in this thread, at length, that the OP has stated that the second boat lost engine power.
Without that, there's no way to reverse and halt the boat.

 

[joshsmom]

I REALLY hope everyone is ok. That had to be scary!! Kudos to WDW Cast Members who did everything they could to ensure the safety of the passengers.

 

[Colleen27]

1) The problem could have been the first boat.
2) But, the fault would have been the second boat.
3) The "captain" should have stopped in time.
4) Not continuing into the first boat.
5) Probably lack of attention.
. . . the boats are on tacks, so going around wasn't an option
. . . the second boat should have been slower
. . . the captain could have then reversed to halt the boat
. . . this would have prevented a crash

But if the second boat stalled, reverse wasn't an option. That's what the OP has been saying... The problem was with the second boat, which lost power and therefore had no way to slow or stop.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Void

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

It seems to me that if I remember correctly the boats at Jungle Cruise never really stop, they switch back and forth between forward thrust, and backwards thrust. The pilot simply does this often enough to keep them from moving much. If the engine were to stall during forward thrust so the pilot could not reverse it, then the boat would probably move forward and bump the boat in front of it.

I always thought when we were on those boats that system was a recipe for an accident, wonder if they will change it now, or just write this off as the cost of doing business.

I am afraid your in error here, the boats are tied with 1 line, a aft spring(leading aft), the engine is in slow ahead, and sometimes in neutral or even reverse to kepp the boat snug in place.

This is done everywhere when handling small boats loading and unloading passingers.

AKK

 

[HallGirl]

The Jungle Cruise did close for a couple of hours shortly after the incident so the boats could be inspected. It did reopen later and it was open today.

 

[Senator Tressel]

1) The problem could have been the first boat.
2) But, the fault would have been the second boat.
3) The "captain" should have stopped in time.
4) Not continuing into the first boat.
5) Probably lack of attention.
. . . the boats are on tacks, so going around wasn't an option
. . . the second boat should have been slower
. . . the captain could have then reversed to halt the boat
. . . this would have prevented a crash

You have no idea what you're talking about. Thanks for your diagnosis here based on zero information on the situation.

 

[Sammie]

Geez RustyScupper you would think with your user name you would know about boats.

Boats without power can not reverse and they certainly don't have brakes.

 

[Csaks]

Geez RustyScupper you would think with your user name you would know about boats.

Boats without power can not reverse and they certainly don't have brakes.

Too bad they didn't read the OP's whole post before jumping the gun with that beautiful list.