There are viral videos, and there are videos that make you drop your phone and stare in disbelief. A U.S. Coast Guard member leaping from a moving patrol boat to a rapidly spinning, driverless motorboat in Maryland definitely falls into the latter category. The video has been circulating since Monday, and the consensus among onlookers has been nearly unanimous: jaw on the floor, full salute to the guys in orange.
According to reports, the event occurred on the Severn River near Annapolis after the operator of the boat fell overboard while reportedly trimming the engines to create waves for his son, who was riding a jet ski nearby.
The son was able to quickly pull his father from the water, but the driverless motorboat had other ideas. With no one in control and the engine still running, the vessel began circling rapidly and erratically on the water.
Soon, a US Coast Guard vessel chases it down, maneuvering skillfully alongside the runaway boat despite the motion and wake. The Guardsman times a bold jump from the moving CG boat onto the runaway vessel, boards it, regains control, and shuts down the engine.
Internet Reacts to U.S. Coast Guard Runaway Boat in Maryland
The U.S. Coast Guard’s runaway boat video garnered praise online. “The pilot of the chase boat was also amazing — to get it into position for the jump to happen took extraordinary skill,” one Reddit user wrote. Another broke down the mechanics: “He actually got the boat to rest on the other boat for a second, holding it in place and making it so there’s no gap to jump — just stepping onto the other boat. Incredible maneuvering.”
The praise didn’t stop at the individual level. “This is why I don’t like Coast Guard jokes,” one commenter wrote. “Those dudes are fighting America’s greatest enemies: idiots with boats, and the weather.” Another put it plainly: “In reality, Coast Guardsmen do what Navy sailors think they’re signing up to do. They’re highly trained and exceptional human beings.”
The most concise review came from a commenter who kept it brief: “Hollywood called and they want their stunt men back.”
The Maryland incident also has an important public safety component to it. Under U.S. federal law, operators of most motorboats under 26 feet are required to wear an engine cut-off switch lanyard. It’s a small clip attached to the operator’s body that automatically kills the engine if they fall overboard.
It is not confirmed whether the operator in this incident was wearing one.
