Wow I've never heard of a motor coming loose and landing inside the cockpit, lots of speculation on how it happened as well. Boat was a ranger, Motor an Evinrude Etec HO...

http://www.susquehanna5.com/fullstory.php?97463

I heard about an accident at a club meeting Sunday night. Any details about what happened?

How are the guys doing?

I don't know them personally, if you follow the links, you can read about it.  Sounds like they two guys were driving a Ranger, which is likely irrelevant, but the motor (Evinrude HO) broke off of the jack plate while WOT, hitting both the driver and passenger console.  Serious injuries were involved.

Says they hit a mud or gravel bar.

Jackplate broke sending the engine into the cockpit area.  The passenger sounds to be in really bad shape.  Amazing.  Prayers for those two. 

Saw a guide boat on toledo Bend years ago(The old style, stick steering with three inline seats) that hit something. The motor ended up in the third seat(Rear seat), (Actually the prop) and it chewed up the back of it. Luckily there was no one in it(Only two passengers in the boat). Close call, but that is the only motor I have ever seen that ended up inside the boat after an accident.

If the pictures are showing the original location of the motor, they are both very lucky to be alive. Prayers to all involved

This is not uncommon.  I was talking to Gary Klein when he told me this had happened to him as he was coming off plane to fish a spot during a tournament. Fortunately the engine just fell off.  He said he just started fishing and waited for another boat to arrive.  He said that was the 2nd time that had happened to him. 

Just a good reminder to periodically check your mounting bolts.  I know I do every 6-8 months, and every once in awhile I'll find one or two a little looser than the rest.

That's terrible. I've never seen that happen before.

Another set of pics:  http://basseast.com/?p=%203425