Video: US Coastguard crew member stops runaway boat with heroic leap

A US Coastguard crew member brought a runaway powerboat under control on Maryland’s Severn River after its operator was thrown into the water, with footage of the feat shared widely online this week.

The incident happened near Annapolis on 11 June 2026, when the boat’s operator was ejected while making a high-speed turn. With no one at the helm, the vessel continued travelling in circles across the river at high speed.

According to the coastguard, the operator was quickly rescued from the river by his son, who had been following behind on a jetski. He was later assessed and found to have no medical concerns.

The unmanned vessel continued circling, however, prompting a response from Coastguard Station Annapolis. The agency received the initial report at 09:05 and the boat was secured just over an hour later at 10:08. An Anne Arundel County Fire Department vessel also attended the scene, although the coastguard led the operation.

Videos posted on social media show the centre-console boat repeatedly looping at speed while a coastguard vessel tracks alongside. Coastguard service member James Fulton timed his move to perfection, leaping off the patrol boat and onto the unmanned vessel before shutting down the engine.

Fulton, who has served in the coastguard for nearly 10 years, says that while his training does not specifically cover boarding runaway boats, it “just made sense” for him to jump aboard. He notes that it is the third time he has carried out a so-called “circle of death” rescue like this.

Coastguard officials used the incident to highlight the value of using an engine cut-off switch, known as an ECOS.

Federal regulations require operators of boats under 26 feet fitted with an ECOS to use the system while underway. However, the Maryland Natural Resources Police, which is investigating the incident, says the vessel involved measured 28 feet and was therefore not covered by that requirement. The agency nevertheless recommends that boaters use an engine cut-off switch whenever possible.

No injuries were reported during the incident.