Captain Of Private Boat Arrested After Running Into USS Midway

If you’re out drinking and operating a boat, you’re asking for trouble — and this latest incident is a perfect example of why that’s a bad idea.

In a moment that’s since gone viral online, the captain of a private 60-foot sportfishing boat was caught on video crashing directly into the USS Midway — a legendary Navy aircraft carrier that now serves as a floating museum in San Diego.

After the loud impact, which was witnessed by numerous bystanders near the famous “Unconditional Surrender” statue, the boat didn’t stop — it fled the scene, prompting immediate concern and calls to Harbor Police. Authorities quickly responded and intercepted the vessel near the San Diego-Coronado Bridge. According to reports, the captain was arrested for boating under the influence.

Sgt. Armando Ramirez of the Harbor Police confirmed the details: “We got calls from witnesses. It made a lot of noise when it collided.” Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The boat suffered some minor damage, but it wasn’t taking on water. As for the USS Midway, there was no serious damage reported.

The video of the bizarre and reckless crash was shared widely on social media, with one of the most-watched clips coming from WarshipCam, which captured the exact moment the fishing boat bumped into the towering warship.

While the boat itself might be forgettable, the ship it struck certainly isn’t.

The USS Midway is one of the most historically significant aircraft carriers in U.S. Navy history. Commissioned just days after the end of World War II in 1945, she was the largest ship in the world at the time and the first carrier too large to pass through the Panama Canal. Over her 47-year career, the Midway took part in some of the most critical moments of the 20th century — including Vietnam, the Cold War, and Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf War.

She launched the first-ever missile from a ship at sea, flew the first U.S. combat air strikes in Vietnam, and played a pivotal role in evacuations during the fall of Saigon. In 1975, she helped rescue thousands of Americans and South Vietnamese civilians. In 1991, during Desert Storm, her air wing helped lead the opening salvos of the air campaign against Saddam Hussein’s forces in Iraq. She also played a critical role in Operation Fiery Vigil, helping evacuate thousands from the Philippines after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo.

After nearly five decades of service, the Midway was finally decommissioned in 1992 and transformed into a museum ship in San Diego in 2004. Since then, she has become one of the most popular naval museums in the world — and certainly not the kind of vessel you expect to see sideswiped by a drunk fisherman.

Thankfully, no one was hurt, and the damage to the Midway appears minimal. Still, the bizarre event serves as a reminder: alcohol and boats don’t mix — especially not around U.S. Navy history.