Boater dies after bystanders rush to get his head above water in Georgia lake, cops say
A boater drowned after bystanders raced to get his head above the surface of a Georgia lake, officials said.
The man, who is from Texas, was in the Peach State when he was seen “struggling” in the water on Wednesday, June 7, according to the Troup County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies in a news release said the man fell from a boat at R. Shaefer Heard Park, a gateway to recreational activities on West Point Lake. The lake stretches across the Georgia-Alabama border, roughly 80 miles southwest of Atlanta.
Deputies responded at about noon to a report of a man having trouble near a dock.
“Bystanders heard the male calling for help and called 911 along with trying to keep the male’s head above water until they could move him closer to the boat ramp,” deputies wrote.
First responders also helped the man before he was rushed to a hospital in LaGrange. He was listed in “stable condition” at the ICU but later died, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies in their release didn’t identify the man but said he was from Ovilla, Texas, roughly 20 miles south of Dallas.
Drowning
At least 4,000 people die from drowning every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and drowning is a leading cause of death for children.
Some factors can make drowning more likely, including not knowing how to swim, a lack of close supervision, not wearing a life jacket and drinking alcohol while recreating near or in water.
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance said there are tips to help keep you safe in the water, including checking local weather conditions, never swimming alone and choosing the right equipment.
“Don’t hesitate to get out of the water if something doesn’t feel right,” the group said on its website. “Whether it’s that the current is getting rough, rain has started to fall, or your body is just not responding like you would like it to due to fatigue or muscle cramps, then just leave and return to the water another day. It’s always a good thing to trust your instincts.”
This story was originally published June 9, 2023 at 12:17 PM with the headline "Boater dies after bystanders rush to get his head above water in Georgia lake, cops say."
