1 dead after boat crashes into channel marker in New Jersey's Barnegat Bay on Memorial Day

LONG BEACH TWP., N.J. (WPVI) -- A 28-year-old Barnegat man has died from his injuries after a Memorial Day boat crash in the Brant Beach section of Long Beach Township, according to New Jersey State Police.

Gunnar Pearson was killed when a boat struck a channel marker near a marina, authorities said. The crash happened around 5:45 p.m. Monday in the area of Bayview and West Goldsborough avenues.

A Jersey Shore community is now mourning Pearson's death. Those who knew his family say they were experienced boaters and often spent time together on the water.

"I think it's really going to hit the community hard," Rafael Adorno of Waretown said.

Adorno said the tragedy has deeply affected his family, noting his children knew Pearson.

"My children are having a hard time with it. They're adults, 26, 27 years old," Adorno said. "Both of my children went to high school with them. They were all athletes."

He described the Pearson family as close-knit and frequently boating together.

"This is a family that goes out always together on the boat, fishing, at the beach. Skiing. I mean, they're always together," Adorno said.

State police said six people were on board the boat at the time of the crash. Investigators said the vessel struck a day marker in the bay, throwing two people into the water.

Those two individuals were airlifted to hospitals in critical condition, while the remaining four people suffered minor injuries.

"There were two people in the water," said Sean Stretch of Long Beach Island.

Six people were injured after a boat crashed into a channel marker on Barnegat Bay near Long Beach Island on Monday.

Witnesses described the moments after the crash, when activity on the water and along nearby docks quickly intensified.

"I saw the boat turn back around and I saw everyone run out on their docks and I was wondering what's going on," said Ford Hansen of Long Beach Island.

The damaged boat, which showed impact to its bow, was later towed from the scene on Monday evening.

Some residents questioned how the vessel came to strike the channel marker.

"They're hard to see and they're heavy. If you hit that thing, even just really slow rolling, you'll get some damage. They must've been going pretty quick to get that many people ejected, I would assume," said Steve Helewa of Brant Beach.

Pearson was a former lifeguard in Ship Bottom.

Authorities have not released the names of the other people involved, who was operating the boat, or further details about the crash, including its speed or whether weather conditions were a factor.

New Jersey State Police are continuing to investigate.