Posted in Uncategorized on August 18, 2012
A tragic case in the news recently serves as an example of how quickly celebrations can turn to mourning, and also serves as an example of just how dangerous aquatic activities can be.
According to police reports, 2 men who were visiting from Chicago were involved in a tubing accident, which cost them both their lives.
The investigation is still ongoing, but preliminary police reports indicate that Hammond, Indiana residents 53-year-old James Brannan and 39-year-ol John Perez were both riding on a single inner tube, which was being pulled by a pontoon boat through Douglas Lake in Jefferson County. James McAfee, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency information officer, says that the accident occurred at roughly 6PM on Thursday, and happened in the McGuire Creek area of the lake. The McGuire Creek portion of the lake by itself covers roughly a 44 square mile area.
It is not known yet whether the deaths were as a result of an inner tube failure, a collision with another boat, or whether the 2 men were left in the 35 foot depth, and drowned. Investigators will release their findings as soon as they are available.
Regardless of the cause, police are hoping that this tragic story will help people realize the need for caution when out on the water, and that it can be used to save lives in the future. Safety groups stress that at low speeds, water may seem harmless, but if an individual is travelling fast enough across the surface, water can be as unforgiving as concrete.
Additional details will be released as they are discovered.
