Boat Collision

These boats must have been moving fast.

Two recreational boats collided head-on Saturday in a stretch of the Colorado River near the California border with Arizona that was crowded with people enjoying the Labor Day weekend, sinking one boat and leaving 13 people injured, authorities said. Another two people were missing and “presumed submerged.”

The crash happened in Moabi Regional Park, a popular water recreation area along the border about 290 miles east of Los Angeles.

Eric Sherwin, spokesman for the San Bernardino County Fire District, said one person sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to University Medical Center in Las Vegas. Six others were transported to local hospitals with less serious injuries. Another six had minor injuries and only one of them requested to go to a hospital.

Sherwin said the river can range from shallow to 30 feet deep. Rescuers at nightfall suspended the search for the missing until Sunday morning because it was too dangerous to put divers in the flowing water after dark. Some of those aboard the boats apparently were thrown into the water by the force of the collision or jumped, and were swept down the river.