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3 missing, 10 hurt after boat crashes on 2 Alabama lakes

A trio of fishing boats set out from the Woltever Creek boat ramp to Harrison Bay at dusk on Friday, June 30, 2017, in Harrison, Tenn. There is no speed limit on the lake, and boats traveling at high speeds at night could easily miss paddlers traveling without a white light or get confused by paddlers with green or red lights (which are used by powered boats for navigation).
A trio of fishing boats set out from the Woltever Creek boat ramp to Harrison Bay at dusk on Friday, June 30, 2017, in Harrison, Tenn. There is no speed limit on the lake, and boats traveling at high speeds at night could easily miss paddlers traveling without a white light or get confused by paddlers with green or red lights (which are used by powered boats for navigation). A trio of fishing boats set out from the Woltever Creek boat ramp to Harrison Bay at dusk on Friday, June 30, 2017, in Harrison, Tenn. There is no speed limit on the lake, and boats traveling at high speeds at night could easily miss paddlers traveling without a white light or get confused by paddlers with green or red lights (which are used by powered boats for navigation).

By Associated Press 2 min read

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) – Crews that included divers and underwater sonar devices searched Friday for three people who were missing on two Alabama lakes after a pair of holiday boating crashes that left 10 other people injured.

Both crashes happened after dark on July 4 on large reservoirs that are popular destinations for people seeking a break from the summer heat.

Capt. Gary Buchanan, a spokesman for the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Marine Patrol, said searchers including dive teams were trying to locate two people who were missing after two boats collided on Lake Jordan, located north of Montgomery.

“There’s probably 30-40 people on the water actively involved at this time,” Buchanan said in an email.

Five other people were hurt in the crash, he said, including two who were hospitalized with serious injuries. It’s unclear exactly what happened, but officials said two boats collided.