The Royal Bermuda Regiment Coastguard and Bermuda Power Boat Association have launched separate investigations into two mishaps that occurred during the Rubis Around the Island Race on Sunday.

The boat driven by Damon Morris and co-pilot Anthanay Steede sank after taking on water on the South Shore. They were quickly rescued by course marshals and were unharmed in the mishap.

In a separate incident, driver Ryan Resendes and co-pilot Makinday Johansen intentionally ran their boat aground to avoid sinking after it was damaged and began taking on water on the South Shore. The boat was promptly removed from Tucker’s Point Beach while Johansen was taken to hospital for treatment after complaining of a sore rib. He was released the same day.

A coastguard spokesman confirmed that the matter is being investigated.

“We are looking at both of those two incidents, but I cannot tell you where that investigation is just right now,” he told The Royal Gazette.

BPBA commodore Janae Nesbitt said her organisation are also probing the matter.

“Preliminary investigations have already been done,” she said.

“B101 [Resendes and Johansen] did in fact suffer damage which left a hole in the bottom. Beaching the boat saved the boat and allowed for the co-pilot to get the immediate attention needed.

“Johansen is doing good. There were no broken bones, just badly bruised, and he was released from hospital.

“B101 was recovered from the beach and it should be noted that it took a team effort to retrieve the boat. Tai Bean, Quincy Dowling, Matthew Smith, Craig Nesbitt Jr, Jacai Morris and Andre Bailey all jumped into action and assisted Ryan Resendes to retrieve the boat from Tucker’s Point Beach.”

The cause of Morris’s boat sinking will not be known until it is recovered from the ocean floor.

“It’s my understanding that plans are being made to recover the sunken vessel and we won’t know more about B48 until the boat is retrieved,” the commodore.

Six other teams also saw their title hopes go up in smoke in this year’s race after being forced to retire from the race through mechanical breakdowns.

The team of Andrew Cottingham and Henry Talbot claimed D Class honours and led the entire fleet across the finish line at Ferry Reach.

B Class honours went to driver Steven Meireles and co-pilot Aaron Daniel while driver Brandon DeSilva and co-pilot Blake Burgess led the A class across the line.

Driver Chad Sutherland and co-pilot Lee Wilson were the only entry in C Class.