(CULLMAN COUNTY, AL) — Three people were killed after two boats collided on an Alabama lake on Wednesday, authorities said.
The incident occurred during a Major League Fishing tournament and involved one of the event’s anglers, the organization said.
The two-vessel crash occurred shortly after 7 a.m. local time on Smith Lake in Cullman County, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA).
A Nitro bass boat struck a Center Console vessel, according to ALEA. The three people killed in the crash were all on board the Center Console boat, ALEA said.
Among them, Joey Broom, 58, of Altoona, Alabama, was “fatally injured” in the crash, ALEA said in a press release.
Additionally, John Clark, 44, of Cullman, Alabama, and Jeffrey Little, 62, of Brandon, Mississippi, were both thrown overboard during the incident and drowned, ALEA said. Their bodies were recovered from the lake, ALEA said Wednesday evening.
The incident remains under investigation.
Major League Fishing said the “serious boating accident” occurred during the second day of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational.
“This is a heartbreaking moment for our entire organization,” Kathy Fennel, the executive vice president and general manager of Major League Fishing, said in a statement. “Our deepest condolences go out to the families and friends of those affected by this tragedy.”
The final day of the competition, which had been scheduled for Thursday, has been canceled, the organization said.
Astrid Riecken For The Washington Post via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — The wife of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Salvadoran migrant whose wrongful deportation to El Salvador is at the center of a legal battle with the Trump administration, had a temporary order of protection against him in 2021 in which she cited being slapped, hit with an object, and being detained against her will, according to court documents obtained by ABC News.
In a lengthy statement within a petition for protection “from domestic violence,” Jennifer Vasquez Sura mentioned an incident on May 4, 2021, in which she alleges that Abrego Garcia “punched and scratched her eye,” causing her to bleed.
That same day, Vasquez Sura said that when she told Abrego Garcia that she needed to go to a store, he “got angry, started yelling again to the point that he ripped [her] shorts and shirt off.”
“And I ran to the bathroom, he [ran] behind me and grabbed me by my arm,” Vasquez Sura said. “I have marks on my left arm as well.”
“At this point I am afraid to be close to him,” Vasquez Sura added. “I have multiple photos/videos of how [violent] he can be.”
Vasquez Sura obtained a temporary protective order against Abrego Garcia in May of 2021, according to state court records in Maryland. The order required that Abrego Garcia have no contact with Vasquez Sura, and that he stay away from their shared residence, the records show.
In a statement released to ABC News Wednesday through her attorney, Vasquez Sura — who has been vocal in her support of Abrego Garcia during his incarceration in El Salvador — said, “After surviving domestic violence in a previous relationship, I acted out of caution after a disagreement with Kilmar by seeking a protective order in case things escalated.”
“We were able to work through this situation privately as a family, including by going to counseling,” Vasquez Sura said. “Kilmar has always been a loving partner and father, and I will continue to stand by him and demand justice for him.”
Abrego Garcia, who the Trump administration alleges is a member of the criminal gang MS-13, is entering his second month in an El Salvador mega-prison after he was deported there on March 15 despite being issued a 2019 court order barring his deportation to his home country due to the fear of persecution.
He had been living in Maryland with Vasquez Sura , their 5-year-old child, and two step-children. Vasquez Sura has denied that he is affiliated with MS-13.
In the 2021 documents obtained by ABC News, Vasquez Sura noted two past incidents, alleging that in 2020, Abrego Garcia hit her with his work boot and that in August 2020, he hit her in the eye.
The protective order was dismissed a month after it was issued, on June 17, 2021, after Vasquez Sura failed to appear in court, according to a signed order of dismissal by a judge.
ABC News also obtained documents submitted to a Maryland court in August 2018 by a man who claimed to be the father of two of Vasquez Sura’s children. In a five-page motion for an emergency hearing, he said he feared for the children’s lives, in part, “because she is dating a gang member and attempted self-harm,” the records state.
The man did not include the name of the individual he alleged is a gang member. It is not known if he was referring to Abrego Garcia.
The initials of his children’s names, listed in a custody complaint, match the ones that Vasquez Sura listed for her kids in a declaration submitted in Abrego Garcia’s case.
He appears to have left some sections of the complaint unfinished, including what custody terms he was requesting. However, in the filing he said he would allow Vasquez Sura to visit the children on the condition that “we both agree on the time and date.”
According to court documents dated January 18, 2019, the case was dismissed because Vasquez Sura wasn’t served.
Vasquez Sura’s attorneys did not respond to a request for comment on documents involving her ex.
On Tuesday, a federal judge ordered government officials to testify under oath because, she said, they had “done nothing to aid in Abrego Garcia’s release from custody and return to the United States,” despite the Supreme Court directing the Trump administration to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador.
The Department of Homeland Security, in a social media post Wednesday, shared a 2021 court record from Abrego Garcia’s protective order case and said in the post that he “was not the upstanding ‘Maryland Man’ the media has portrayed him as.”
(GAZA) — Since the end of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on March 18, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has sharply deteriorated.
The continued closure of all border crossings since March 2 has blocked the entry of humanitarian aid, triggering a severe food crisis and endangering the lives of millions of civilians.
Aid organizations warn that without urgent action, Gaza faces the real possibility of widespread famine, escalating malnutrition and the collapse of essential services.
One of the gravest consequences of the blockade is the complete disruption of the food supply chain. According to residents, bakeries across Gaza have been forced to shut down due to a lack of flour, fuel and operational supplies.
“There is no bread, no bread at all. There is no flour. The crossings are closed. The children are starving,” said Ahmed Abu Mustafa, a resident of Khan Younis, in an interview with ABC News. “Even if we had flour … the bakeries don’t have fuel to bake or cook food.”
The impact on civilians is visible and tragic.
Moath Fayez Abu Ramadan, also from Khan Younis, waited daily at a closed bakery earlier this month hoping to find food for his children.
“I have been here since six in the morning, waiting for the bakery to open so I can feed my children,” he told ABC News. “My wife was killed in the war, and my children need someone to take care of them and provide food.”
The World Food Programme (WFP) announced on March 31 that its aid supplies to Gaza have been fully depleted. The closure of the crossings has made resupply impossible, with catastrophic results.
“We are in a famine in every sense of the word,” said Umm Mohammed, a displaced resident from Rafah. “No matter how much we describe it, it is a famine. What is the fault of the children?” she asked during an interview with ABC News.
In a series of statements on Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel would continue to bar the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, calling it “one of the main pressure tools that prevents Hamas form using this measure vis a vis the population.”
Katz said Israel planned to create an infrastructure for distributing aid using civilian companies later.
Aid organizations raise alarm
International aid organizations are also raising alarm over the humanitarian toll of the blockade.
Rosalia Bollen, a spokesperson for UNICEF, told ABC News, “Since March 18, hundreds of children have been killed, hundreds more have been injured. … Burns, shrapnel lodged in the bodies of children, children who’ve had their limbs amputated.”
She emphasized the urgent need to reestablish a ceasefire and reopen the crossings.
“The most impactful action that governments need to take is to ensure that the ceasefire is reestablished. That is the most important measure to save children’s lives,” she said.
Beyond food shortages, Gaza’s children are suffering psychologically from the relentless violence and deprivation.
“Children are deeply traumatized by what they’ve witnessed,” Bollen explained. “They’ve been exposed to really unprecedented levels of violence on a daily basis for months in a row. … Today, every child in Gaza needs mental health support.”
Violence has returned
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) echoed this concern and highlighted the challenges of operating under such extreme conditions.
“After a period of relative calm, violence has returned to Gaza and the civilian population once again is bearing the brunt,” said Hisham Muhanna, an ICRC spokesperson, in an interview with ABC News. “The entry of humanitarian aid – Gaza’s main lifeline – has been suspended … the situation is even more dire.”
ICRC’s operations in Gaza are ongoing but severely constrained, Muhanna said.
“Programs like common kitchens continue feeding people with, sometimes, the only meal they will receive a day,” Muhanna said.
However, he warned of a looming catastrophe.
“Flour supplies are dwindling, and many bakeries have had to shut down,” he said. “In short order, the impacts will be acute on nutrition and basic health.”
With no fuel entering Gaza, water purification systems and hospitals are on the verge of collapse, Muhanna said.
“Hospitals cannot operate without health care staff, who don’t live nearby and who are struggling to come to work safely during this period of hostility,” Muhanna said.
“With no proper sanitation and limited access to safe drinking water, the danger of communicable disease outbreaks is closer by the day,” he added.
‘In need of literally everything’
Citizens are also voicing their frustration and calling for urgent international action.
“We want the war on Gaza to stop. May God make the Arab countries stand with us,” said Abu Ramadan.
Umm Mohammed added, “We fear hunger. We no longer fear death; we have reached the point where we wish for death. … When your child asks for bread — his most basic right — what do you say?”
As aid agencies work tirelessly under impossible conditions, time is running out for Gaza.
“The suffering in Gaza isn’t just physical but also psychological,” said Bollen. “Children in Gaza are in need of literally everything: food, safe water, health care and emotional support.”
The international community faces a critical moment. Without immediate and sustained action to reopen the crossings and restore aid flows, aid agencies are warning that Gaza is at risk of plunging into an irreversible humanitarian catastrophe.
(NEW YORK) — Rep. Elise Stefanik, a key Republican ally of President Donald Trump, is considering a run for governor of New York, a source familiar with her thinking told ABC News.
Stefanik’s office didn’t immediately comment.
Gov. Kathy Hochul is running for reelection in 2026 in the Empire State and is vying for her second full term in office.
President Donald Trump nominated Stefanik to be the United Nations ambassador and she was replaced as House Republican Conference Chair by Michigan Rep. Lisa McClain.
However, on March 27, a week before her Senate confirmation vote, Trump announced that he was withdrawing her nomination, citing the razor-thin Republican majority in the House of Representatives.
“There are others that can do a good job at the United Nations. Therefore, Elise will stay in Congress, rejoin the House Leadership Team, and continue to fight for our amazing American People,” Trump said on Truth Social.
“This is about stepping up as a team, and I am doing that as a leader, to ensure that we can take hold of this mandate and deliver these historic results,” Stefanik told Fox News that evening.
Addison Dick, a spokesman for the New York State Democrats, dismissed the news of Stefanik’s possible run, claiming in a statement that the New York GOP “can’t field a serious candidate from their pathetic crew of Trump minions.”
“New Yorkers want nothing to do with the clown show of Trump loyalists who are only focused on enabling Trump’s agenda that is raising costs, gutting health care, and attacking New Yorkers’ freedoms,” he said in a statement.
The upstate New York congresswoman has been rising among the ranks on the Hill for her hard conservative stances.
She played a key role in the congressional response to antisemitism on college campuses amid the Israel-Hamas war. She’s also accused the United Nations of antisemitism.
Although largely Democratic, New York state has seen voters shift red over the last couple of years.
Hochul won the 2022 election with just 377,834 votes, roughly 53% of the total vote, beating then U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin. In the 2018 election, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo won with over 1.4 million votes, roughly 59.55% of the total vote, beating then-Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro.
(Clallam County, WA) — Authorities said a missing 10-year-old boy who recently underwent a kidney transplant and needed medication has been found safe following an “urgent” search.
Mason Combs was last seen leaving a friend’s house in Clallam County and running into a wooded area at approximately 4 p.m. local time on Tuesday, according to the local sheriff’s office.
He was found safe on Wednesday, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office said.
“Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers and First Responders who searched diligently for Mason!! He’s been located safe and sound,” the sheriff’s office said in an update on social media while sharing a photo of the child holding a bottle of water.
No additional details were provided.
Mason had been reported missing by his family on Tuesday, according to Clallam County Sheriff’s Office Undersheriff Lorraine Shore.
“Mason needs medication for a recent kidney transplant and was only wearing a t-shirt and pants with no jacket,” the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post on Wednesday.
Without his medication, which he did not have Tuesday night, Mason could pass out, Shore told Seattle ABC affiliate KOMO.
“We are extremely concerned. We consider this to be an urgent search,” Shore told KOMO amid the search. “We are deploying all assets. Our entire focus is on finding this child.”
More than 30 people from multiple agencies aided in the search, which included an aerial search by helicopter and drones, Shore said. K9 teams were also searching buildings and ponds, the sheriff’s office said.
Residents were urged to check their outbuildings, ponds and property for Mason, the sheriff’s office said.
“This is a very rural area, people have a lot of outbuildings, they have a lot of places that a child could hide,” Shore told KOMO. “He might be passed out.”
Mason and his family are from North Carolina and have been in Clallam County for the past two weeks, according to Shore.
Mason’s desperate wait for a life-changing kidney transplant was featured in a November 2023 report by Raleigh station WRAL.
His mother told the station at the time that he was having dialysis multiple times a week after having both kidneys removed.
(WASHINGTON) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday that he expects President Donald Trump’s tariffs policy to cause higher inflation and slower economic growth, complicating potential central bank efforts to ease the fallout.
“The level of the tariff increases announced so far is significantly larger than anticipated. The same is likely to be true of the economic effects, which will include higher inflation and slower growth,” Powell told the audience at the Economic Club of Chicago.
Powell’s remarks immediately sent stocks lower as investors digested the top central banker’s concern about the tariffs.
Within minutes, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 690 points, or 1.7%, more than tripling losses suffered over the course of the day before Powell’s comments. At the close of trading, the Dow dropped 1.7%.
The S&P 500 dropped 2.2% at market close, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq plunged 3%. Both indexes deepened losses suffered earlier in the day.
Stocks had fallen in early trading on Wednesday after chipmaker Nvidia disclosed it was recording a $5.5 billion charge in accordance with a new Trump administration restriction on exports to China.
Wednesday’s address marked Powell’s first public remarks since Trump last week paused his so-called “reciprocal tariffs” on most countries for 90 days. Stocks soared minutes after Trump’s announcement, recovering much of the losses suffered in the aftermath of the “Liberation Day” tariffs start a week earlier. It amounted to one of the most volatile weeks in the history of Wall Street.
“Markets are struggling with a lot of uncertainty and that means volatility,” Powell said on Wednesday. Still, he added, the volatility reflected the significance of the policy changes, rather than abnormal behavior in the markets.
“They’re functioning just about as you’d expect them to function,” Powell said.
At the same time Trump paused some tariffs last week, he also increased tariffs on China, bringing levies on Chinese goods to a cumulative level of 145%. In response, China hiked tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%, escalating a trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
Powell said earlier this month that he expected Trump’s tariff policy would hike prices and slow economic growth, while noting that key indicators “still show a solid economy.”
Policy changes implemented by the White House have contributed to a “highly uncertain outlook,” Powell said.
Last month, the Fed opted to hold interest rates steady, even as the central bank said it expected higher inflation and slower economic growth than it had forecast in December. The Fed will announce its next interest-rate decision on May 7.
Powell on Wednesday indicated that the Fed may approach interest rates with restraint as policymakers observe the economic effects of Trump’s tariffs.
“The U.S. economy is still in a solid position,” Powell said. “For the time being, we are well positioned to wait for greater clarity before considering any adjustments to our policy stance.”
(NEW YORK) — Fyre Festival 2 has been “postponed,” according to the organizers.
Billy McFarland, who was behind the initial Fyre Festival in the Bahamas, was convicted of wire fraud in connection with the failed 2017 festival.
McFarland’s new event, which was scheduled to take place in Mexico from May 30 to June 2, was being advertised under the slogan “FYRE Festival 2 is real,” with tickets starting at $1,400.
A message sent to a ticket holder said, “The event has been postponed and a new date will be announced. We have issued you a refund. Once the new date is announced, at that time, you can repurchase if it works for your schedule.”
Fyre Festival 2 tickets went on sale in February.
At the time, McFarland said a statement, “I’m sure many people think I’m crazy for doing this again. But I feel I’d be crazy not to do it again.”
“After years of reflection and now thoughtful planning, the new team and I have amazing plans for FYRE 2,” he added.
Like the initial Fyre Festival event, McFarland’s Fyre Fest 2 promised “an electrifying celebration of music, arts, cuisine, comedy, fashion, gaming, sports, and treasure hunting — all set in the stunning location of Isla Mujeres, Mexico,” according to the event’s website.
“Experience unforgettable performances, immersive experiences, and an atmosphere that redefines creativity and culture,” the festival’s website continued.
Leading up to the festival, Mexico officials with the Quintana Roo Tourism Department and the Playa Del Carmen government said “no event of that name” was to be held there.
Bernardo Cueto, tourism secretary of the State of Quintana Roo, where Isla Mujeres is located, told ABC News over a phone call that his agency would be the one giving permission for that kind of festival, but Fyre Fest 2 was not something he was informed about, nor was an event by that name happening in Playa del Carmen or Isla Mujeres.
At the time, the official government X account for Playa del Carmen also posted a statement and confirmed that the event wasn’t happening.
“The municipal government of Playa del Carmen, informs that no event with that name will be held in our city,” the statement said. “After a responsible review of the situation, it was confirmed that there is no registration, planning or conditions that indicate the realization of such an event in the municipality.”
The statement continued, “This municipal government is acting with responsibility and commitment, always with the priority placed on public order, security and family coexistence. We reiterate that any official information will be communicated directly and in a timely manner through the corresponding channels.”
McFarland, however, countered on April 4, sharing on the festival’s Instagram account a timeline of conversations with the government of Playa Del Carmen and shared what appeared to be screenshots of conversations and permits for the event.
“All media reports suggesting our team has not been working with the government of PDC are simply inaccurate and based on misinformation,” he wrote on the account. “FYRE has operated as a good partner with PDC government and has followed the proper processes and procedures to lawfully host an event.”
ABC News’ Tonya Simpson, Anne Laurent, Aaron Katersky and Josh Margolin contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — The Federal Housing Finance Agency has referred information about New York Attorney General Letitia James to the Justice Department regarding a loan on James’ Virginia property, according to a letter obtained by ABC News.
William Pulte, the director of the FHFA, alleges in his letter to the Justice Department, dated April 14, that James listed her Norfolk, Virginia property as her “principal residence” in August of 2023, “despite being a statewide public office holder in the state of New York at that same time and primarily residing in the state of New York.”
The FHFA alleges in the letter that a July 2024 building permit “lists her New York property as the ‘JAMES RESIDENCE’ and states ‘Remain Occupied’.”
“At the time of the 2023 Norfolk, VA property purchase and mortgage, Ms. James was the siting [sic] Attorney General of New York and is required by law to have her primary residence in the state of New York – even though her mortgage applications list her intent to have the Norfolk, VA property as her primary home,” according to the letter. “It appears Ms. James’ property and mortgage-related misrepresentations may have continued to her recent 2023 Norfolk, VA property purchase in order to secure a lower interest rate and more favorable loan terms.”
Pulte, whom Trump appointed in March to lead the FHFA, further alleges in the letter that James “appears to have falsified records in order to meet certain lending requirements and receive favorable loan terms,” which he says “could be violations of the criminal code,” including wire, mail and bank fraud “and/or other relevant state and federal laws.”
The letter concludes by stating that the FHFA “look[s] forward to cooperating with the Department of Justice to support any actions that the Department of Justice finds appropriate.”
“Attorney General James is focused every single day on protecting New Yorkers, especially as this Administration weaponizes the federal government against the rule of law and the Constitution,” a spokesperson for James’ office said in a statement provided in response to an ABC News request for comment. “She will not be intimidated by bullies – no matter who they are.”
James’ office filed a business fraud suit against Trump and his organization in 2022, which resulted in a February 2024 ruling against Trump and fines in excess of $350 million. Former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg pleaded guilty to lying under oath in the civil trial and served five months in prison.
(NEW YORK) — A United Airlines flight experienced an engine fire shortly after takeoff that was apparently caused by a rare rabbit strike.
United Flight 2325 had departed Denver International Airport en route to Edmonton, Alberta, on Sunday when the incident occurred.
LiveATC audio documents the flight crew asking that the plane be inspected for an engine fire and being told that it was a rabbit that apparently got sucked into an engine.
“Rabbit through the number 2, that’ll do it,” the pilot responded.
The Boeing 737-800 was carrying 153 passengers and six crew members.
“There was a loud bang, and a significant vibration in the plane,” passenger Scott Wolff told “Good Morning America.”
The plane proceeded to climb, Wolff said.
“Every few moments there was a backfire coming from the engine, a giant fireball behind it,” he said. “Everyone in the plane then started to panic.”
Wyatt McCurry saw the flames from the ground at the Denver airport.
“My stomach dropped and I just thought, ‘I’m going to see a plane go down,'” he told “Good Morning America.”
The flight safely headed back to Denver.
“Our flight from Denver to Edmonton (UA2325) returned safely to Denver to address a possible wildlife strike,” United said in a statement.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane returned around 8:05 p.m. local time on Sunday “after the crew reported striking an animal while departing.”
The passengers continued to Edmonton on a new aircraft, the airline said.
The FAA is investigating.
In general, wildlife strikes are fairly common, with the FAA reporting more than 20,000 in the United States last year.
Among those, there were only four rabbit strikes reported, including one at the Denver International Airport, according to the FAA. The vast majority are bird strikes.
(SELIGMAN, Ariz.) — An Arizona toddler who had been missing for 16 hours was found safe by a rancher’s dog on Tuesday, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office.
Boden Allen, 2, was first reported missing just before 5 p.m. on Monday, after he wandered off from his family’s home in Seligman, a rural area approximately 8100 miles north of Phoenix, officials said.
The incident began after Boden was playing with his mother outside their home and followed her back inside when she went to change his sibling’s diaper, according to Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jeff Newnum. Boden returned outside to play and “just disappeared,” Newnum told ABC News.
“Within 10 minutes of her changing the diaper, having him right next to her, she looks down, he’s nowhere to be found inside,” he said.
Deputies, accompanied by over 40 search and rescue members, arrived on the property and scanned the area for Boden for about 16 hours, officials said. During their search, officials noted that they spotted two mountain lions “among the terrain the boy traveled.”
On Tuesday morning, rancher Scotty Dunton reported that “a young child had walked onto his property,” according to the sheriff’s office.
The rancher said his dog, Buford, spotted the boy while he was patrolling the property — which is approximately seven miles away from the Allen family home — for coyotes.
“He loves kids so I can imagine he wouldn’t leave him when he found him,” the rancher said in a video shared by the sheriff’s office.
Buford, an Anatolian Pyrenees, remained at Boden’s side, garnering Dunton’s attention. The boy told the rancher he had slept under a tree, officials said.
“This dog did not obviously view Boden as a threat, but realized that there was something wrong, and instinctively went to this child,” Newnum said.
Dunton, who was aware of the search and rescue efforts going on in the area, quickly notified officials that he found Boden, according to Newnum.
“I can’t believe that kid made it that far, it’s seven miles and that’s if he walked in a straight line,” Dunton said. “There’s three big mountain ranges between here and his house and big valleys. For a 2-year-old to do that, that’s insane.”
Newnum said the sheriff’s office plans on visiting Buford in about a week with a big steak wrapped in a bow.
