Just after sundown Saturday evening the Rhea County Sheriff’s Marine Division and Meigs County Sheriff’s department responded to reports of a two boat collision, with injuries on  the main channel side of Sand Island on Watts Bar Lake.

According to witnesses at the scene, a pontoon with approximately 12 passengers on board was floating with their lights off when a fishing boat with three passengers came around the corner and ran across the top of the pontoon boat.  Witness indicate it was likely the fishing boat simply didn’t see the pontoon boat. Several of the passengers on the pontoon boat reportedly were able to jump off just before the fishing boat struck them. At least two people were transported by Meigs County EMS to area hospitals.

Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency is investigating the incident.