A Utah couple tragically died in a boating accident while watching the total solar eclipse on Monday in Idaho.
Mike Kingston was operating a boat on the Ririe Reservoir with passengers Neal Jenkins, 68, and his 65-year-old wife Elaine Jenkins when all three were ejected while trying to complete a turn in the water around 3pm, according to the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office.
The boat then struck all three as it turned in circles around them leaving 63-year-old Kingston and the married couple injured.
Elaine (left) and Neal (right) Jenkins tragically died on Monday in a boating accident on the Ririe Reservoir in Idaho while watching the total solar eclipse
The couple (above) was in a boat being operated by Mike Kingston when all three were ejected as the vessel tried to complete a turn in the water around 3pm. The boat then struck all three as it turned in circles around them
Witness Adam Frugoli said is he haunted after watching the tragedy happen.
He explained that at first he didn’t fully comprehend what he had witnessed at the reservoir and thought the boat was circling to pick up a fallen jetskier.
‘I guess I wasn’t prepared to understand what was happening at the time,’ Frugoli told the Post Register.
Once he realized it was spinning out of control, Frugoli called the police from his satellite phone.
He said that the boat hit one of the passengers, but no one could dive in to help without risking their life. Other witnesses were trying to figure out how to get the boat to stop.
The boat spun out of control in the water (file above) before coming to a stop. Nearby boaters tried to administer life-saving efforts on all three of the victims, but Elaine died at the scene and her husband died hours later at the hospital. Kingston is still hospitalized
It eventually ran out of gas and drifted to a stop and that’s when other boaters were able to reach the couple and Kingston to begin life-saving efforts.
Tragically, Elaine died at the scene and her husband died hours later after being rushed to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.
Kingston was transported via helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center where he is still being treated. His condition is unknown.
Bonneville County Sheriff’s Sgt. Bryan Lovell said the couple was in the area to watch the rare solar eclipse as they lived in Centerville, Utah.
‘Part of what they’re investigating is to determine if there was any alcohol abuse or anything like that, or if there was a problem with the boat or some other interference in that respect so those are the things we just don’t know right now,’ Lovell said.
Bonneville County Sheriff’s Sgt. Bryan Lovell said the couple (above) was in the area to watch the rare solar eclipse as they lived in Centerville, Utah. Authorities are still investigating the accident