Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 13, 1993 TAG: 9307130178
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
The 66-year-old man, who police would not identify pending notification of relatives, was fishing and fell out of his boat, said Lt. Steve Vinson of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The victim's wife also was in the boat.
The man was not wearing a life jacket, although two were in the boat. One of the jackets would not have met state standards because it was a child's size.
The man was pulled from the water below Claytor Lake Dam at about 12:35 p.m. and was taken to Radford Community Hospital by Christiansburg Rescue Squad, according to a news release from Montgomery County Sheriff Ken Phipps.
Eddie Vires and his friend Benny Simpkins stopped after hearing a woman in a boat screaming. They swam out to the boat, but couldn't get the motor started, Vires said.
Vinson said the motor was operable, but apparently a gear was stuck and the woman was unable to gain control of it.
"She was in the boat hollering that her husband couldn't swim and he was drowning," said Michelle Pratt, who joined in the rescue attempt.
Vires returned to shore, helping Pratt search for the man. Simpkins swam out with a life jacket, found the man and brought him back to shore, Vires said.
The man was floating downstream toward the Twin River Market near the New River Interstate 81 bridge.
Pratt said she helped search for the man, then ran to shore to direct rescue workers.
"I can swim, but I'm no lifeguard," Pratt said. "I was exhausted."
Keywords:
FATALITY
by CNB