HUDSON, NH. (THECOUNT) — Erick Holanda Machado, 31, of Nashua, New Hampshire, was killed Sunday evening after a boat crash on the Merrimack River in Hudson, according to New Hampshire State Police. Machado was operating a personal watercraft when it collided with a pontoon boat, causing him to be thrown into the water and suffer fatal injuries.
Hudson is located in Hillsborough County in southern New Hampshire, near the Massachusetts border and within the greater Nashua-Manchester region. The Merrimack River runs through the area and is a major waterway used for recreational boating throughout the region.
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New Hampshire State Police Marine Patrol officers and troopers responded shortly before 5:30 p.m. Sunday after receiving reports of a boat crash involving serious injuries on the river.
According to a preliminary investigation, Machado was operating a personal watercraft when it struck the rear of a pontoon boat. Authorities said the collision caused Machado to be ejected into the water, where he was then struck by the pontoon boat’s propeller.
Investigators said Machado suffered severe injuries to his legs as a result of the collision.
Occupants of the pontoon boat immediately called 911 following the crash. Bystanders aboard another watercraft assisted in bringing Machado onto a nearby boat before he was transported to shore.
Hudson police and fire department personnel responded at the shoreline and began lifesaving efforts. Despite those efforts, Machado was pronounced dead at the scene, according to authorities.
State police said the death is not believed to be suspicious. Investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the crash, including the events leading up to the collision between the two watercraft.
Authorities have not released additional details regarding the pontoon boat occupants or whether any citations are expected as the investigation remains active.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact New Hampshire State Police Trooper Micah Jones at Micah.A.Jones@dos.nh.gov or by calling 603-724-8026.
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