2 Dead, 1 Injured In Maine Boat Crash

Two women were killed and another injured in a boat accident on Maine’s Flagstaff Lake Saturday afternoon.

According to officials with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, a group of seven people were onboard the 18-foot Sea-Doo Switch Pontoon boat when the accident occurred at around 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 30.

Officials said the vessel was in the upper reaches of the lake. When they were in front of the beach area at the Cathedral Pines Campground, the bow of the boat started to go under the water.

John Morris, 50, of Eustis, Maine, was reportedly driving the boat at the time. He attempted to raise the bow, but it continued to go under until the boat flipped, throwing all seven passengers into the water roughly 180 feet from shore.

Witnesses on the shore and on the lake rushed to assist those in the boat, and were able to get all seven of them to the shore. Three of the passengers were unresponsive and CPR was performed on all three.

Farhana Nasir, 53, of Selden, New York, and Kiran Akbar, 23, of Lake Grove, New York, passed away at the scene. Noor Nasir, 22, of New York, was lifeflighted to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical where she was listed in critical condition.

Officials said no one in the boat was wearing lifejackets at the time. The initial investigation indicated that alcohol is not a factor in the crash.

Officials said the incident remains under investigation.