Authorities urge caution on Lake St. Clair after two jet skis crash near Muskamoot Bay, causing major injuries

(WWJ) The St. Clair County Marine Division is asking the public to exercise extra caution on local waterways this holiday weekend, after the second serious jet ski crash this season.

The latest happened Friday, June 28, on Lake St. Clair near Muskamoot Bay, during the annual Jobbie Nooner party.

According to the St. Clair County Sheriffs Office, two jet skis collided during a blind-cut, or a turn.

Everyone involved had "major injuries," officials said, but the sheriff's office did not provided any additional information about the people who were hurt.

This comes after another accident in mid-June on a blind cut from Mud Lake, near Sni Bora Hwy between a jet ski and a fishing boat. Officials said the jet ski driver involved in that crash suffered a broken shoulder.

The sheriff's office said this in a news release Tuesday: "With the holiday weekend upon us, and the rest of the summer stretching ahead, watercraft safety is of utmost concern. Here at the Sheriff’s Office, we want everyone to be able to enjoy our waterways. While accidents can occur anywhere, there are many cuts that are low visibility, greatly increasing the risk of a crash. Please use extra caution if you choose to travel through one of these areas. Many paths are only wide enough for a single watercraft to navigate through and there is no way of knowing who may be travelling in the opposite direction."

Some things to remember (provided by the sheriff's office) :

• A person shall not operate a PWC in waters less than two feet deep unless traveling at a slow no - wake speed
• All occupants of a PWC must wear an approved PFD.
• PWC are not to be on the water between sunset and 8:00 am.
• Those less than 14 years of age may not legally operate a PWC
• A person shall maintain a distance of 100 feet from any dock, boat, raft, buoyed or occupied swimming area while driving at other than slow - no wake speed. A person must stay 200 feet away from any Great Lakes shoreline
• A person shall not cross within 150 feet behind another vessel other than a personal watercraft that is moving at greater than a slow - no wake speed.
• Maneuvers that endanger life, limb, or property, including weaving through congested traffic, jumping the wake of another vessel, or turning unnecessarily close to another other vessel and/or swerving at the last moment to avoid a collision constitutes reckless operation of a vessel.

“Our waterways are a major pride and joy of St. Clair County. It is truly a pleasure that people from all over come to our area to enjoy water activities," said Sheriff Mat King. "Whether you come to fish, jet ski, or boat recreationally, please educate yourself on the rules are of the water. Our Marine Division, along with our partners on the water are here to help educate and are highly trained in the event of an emergency on the water."