Lockyer Power Fest is an annual weekend of powerboat racing on a lake in Brisbane, Australia. Big crowds gather to watch small boats with lots of horsepower rip around a course.
Last Saturday, a boat named Hot Lemon had a mechanical failure that caused the prop shaft to strike the rudder, according to a news report. The boat broke into pieces as it approached a mark, and the driver and throttle man were ejected.
Both were quickly rescued, but the 52-year-old driver reportedly suffered a broken ankle, a broken arm and broken ribs.
“I felt confident that I was in good hands from the moment the divers got to me. I’m totally convinced that my full body harness helmet restraint saved my neck, back and possibly my life,” driver Rod Peterson said in a statement posted on Facebook. “I strongly suggest that all competitors think about the quality of their equipment and that it is worn properly.”
Peterson is expected to remain in the hospital for several weeks.
