Child dies in boat race crash

KENT NARROWS — A 7-year-old was killed at the Thunder on the Narrows boat race Sunday afternoon, June 28, when a hydroplane racing boat collided with a spectator boat.

The fatality was confirmed by Maryland Natural Resources Police. Three other accident victims were flown to Shock Trauma. According to the NRP, the U.S. Coast Guard is leading the investigation. The Coast Guard reported Sunday evening that seven other people were injured in the crash.

The accident occurred at 4:45 p.m. during the warmup laps for a race in the Grand National Hydroplane division. The GNH boats were the largest boats in the competition with a minimum length of 20 feet and a 468-cubic-inch engine capable of reaching speeds of 145 mph.

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