7 people hurt in boat crash

A fiery boat crash Saturday evening along the Coeur d’Alene River left seven people hurt.

Several passengers suffered burns and had to jump from the burning boat into the water. None of the passengers has been identified.

The accident happened around 7:50 p.m. near Black Lake, and investigators were still attempting Sunday to figure out exactly what happened, said Kootenai County Sheriff’s Deputy Andy Boyle.

The crash site is relatively remote. The nearest road is two miles away.

One craft was 18 feet long “and the other was burnt so bad I couldn’t tell you much about it,” Boyle said.

One woman, who Boyle said was alert and talking, was airlifted to Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane for treatment. Six other boaters were treated at Kootenai Medical Center.

None of the injuries was considered life threatening, Boyle said.

The charred boat drifted ashore and the other boat sustained major damage.

Boyle said investigators are interviewing the boaters to determine if alcohol may have been a factor.

He said it didn’t appear either boat was speeding.