BAY HEAD -- Dive crews have located the boat that sank in a deadly collision during the Point Pleasant Beach Offshore Grand Prix.
Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Stephen Reid said Tuesday crews found the Smith Brothers CRC race boat. By 1:45 p.m., rescue crews were towing the boat north toward the Manasquan Inlet to eventually have it brought on land.
The 26-foot boat was in about 35 feet of water in the ocean off Johnson Street in Bay Head several blocks south of where it crashed with the Repeat Offender on May 21 during the first minutes of the Offshore Grand Prix.
Authorities have said the Repeat Offender for an unknown reason crossed into the path of the Smith Brothers CRC, causing the Smith Brothers to run up and over the other race boat.
Killed in the collision was the Repeat Offender's throttle man, David Raabe, 38, of Forked River.
Repeat Offender's driver, James "JP" Byrne, 35, of Nutley, was hospitalized with serious injuries but is expected to recover.
Brothers Rich and Pete Smith of the Smith Brothers CRC were thrown into the ocean but were not injured.
Reid has said the transom of the Smith brothers' boat ripped off in the collision and sank.
Divers from the Berkeley Township Search and Rescue Dive Team have volunteered their services for the past week - weather permitting - to try to locate the boat. The divers on Tuesday placed airbags on the boat and inflated them under water to raise the vessel closer to the surface to make it easier to tow.
The divers still had to contend with rough surf while working. Rain held off until they were able to get the airbags inflated. Sprinkles of rain began as they started the slow towing process.
New Jersey State Police boats have also been on scene to search.
Dive officials have said the water conditions have been rough and with poor visibility, preventing them from quickly locating the vessel, though they knew its general area.
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