CBF Boat Runs Aground, Injures Farmers

No, they didn't hit farmers on the land: Lancaster Farming, Farmers Injured in Chesapeake Bay Foundation Boat Accident

A Chesapeake Bay Foundation vessel carrying a group of farmers from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, ran aground Oct. 9 on Grey’s Inn Creek off the Chester River in Maryland. 
“We had three employees down in Chesapeake Bay with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation,” Lancaster County Conservation District Manager Chris Thompson said shortly after the incident occurred.

U.S Coast Guard officials confirmed receiving a call that the 42-foot vessel Marguerite was stranded with 22 people on board. My the time the agency was able to dispatch assistance from Annapolis, Maryland, the aluminum hull jet boat was back at the dock under its own power. The incident is still under investigation.

“They had several Plain Sect members and conservation consultants with them for an educational meet and greet, trying to show them the big picture of conservation and how it impacts areas outside of the county,” Thompson said.

Several people were knocked down when the vessel hit a sandbar, he said, citing information he had received while waiting for a report from the hospital regarding an injured employee early Thursday evening. Although several people received scrapes and bruises from the accident, those willing were seen by a doctor and released, Thompson said Oct. 10. “All are home now, sore and stiff but seem to be suffering no long-term issues.”

“Two adults reported minor injuries following the boat’s grounding,” read a prepared statement released the day after the incident from Chesapeake Bay Foundation Vice President for Education Tom Ackerman. “One person sought additional medical attention as a precaution. CBF staff accompanied that participant to the hospital, where they were discharged that same day.”

I assume by "plain sect" they mean Amish, Mennonite or some similar sect, which have large numbers of farms in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Getting them to agree with Bay diet restrictions is a significant problem. I wonder if they are allowed to use a boat with a gas motor themselves? 

A few years ago, a CBF boat carrying school kids ran into one of the submerged tanks off Bloodsworth Island and sank, requiring rescue. Boat long enough and something like this is likely to happen. I ran aground in the Anacostia years ago. To be fair, I was trying not to run across the fisherman's lines from shore.