Tragedy at our lake

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chill'nthemost
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Tragedy at our lake

#1 Post by chill'nthemost » Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:11 pm

CULVER, Ore. -

A Madras father and son on a water-skiing outing at Lake Billy Chinook both apparently drowned Thursday morning after the son fell from his skis and the father turned the boat around, possibly hitting his son, before diving in to try to rescue him, said Jefferson County Sheriff Jim Adkins.

The body of Mark Harris, 37, was recovered from the water shortly after the incident, reported around 11 a.m. on the Crooked River arm of the lake at Cove Palisades State Park, just above the bridge over the Crooked River, Adkins told NewsChannel 21.

An extensive search quickly began -- at first on the water surface, then with divers from Deschutes County Sheriff's Search and Rescue -- for the father, identified by Adkins as Eugene Harris, 73.

The sheriff said the son, who was water skiing, was wearing a mini-wet suit but not a life jacket when his body was found..

Murky water kept crews busy and created challenges as they searched for any sign of the second man's body. Adkins said the farming father and son had traveled to the lake to get in some water skiing before work.

"Unfortunately, the visual depth of the water, it's maybe four or five feet deep," said sheriff's Det. Starla Green. "We can't see very far, because the water is so murky at this point."

Crews kept other boats away from the ski area, pushing them back and closing it off to the public.

For many people who were looking for a relaxing day on the lake, it was a reminder for them to be extra careful and remember the dangers the water can hold.

"The park ranger came up and told us to be really careful today because there was two fatalities," said visitor Becky Heinrick. "It's something that you definitely don't like to see."

And for police, who have seen these types of tragic situations in the past, they have a reminder for others who get in the water.

"Make sure you have a minimum of three people on your boat, one for a spotter and one for an operator," Green said. "That's basically the requirements for this body of water, is making sure you have three people in a boat at all times."

Authorities were interviewing witnesses to piece together what occurred. Adkins, who knew the two men personally, said he did not believe alcohol was involved in the tragedy.

Adkins said no one reported seeing where Mark Harris was skiing, but a witness reported seeing the father jump in the lake and his head bobbed up before disappearing.

The depth of water in the area being searched was not immediately known, but Adkins said the popular boating lake west of Culver is 110 feet deep at its deepest point. The divers were prepared to go about 50 feet down in their recovery effort, the sheriff added.

Adkins said the search effort was wrapping up for the night around 6 p.m. He said they would be back out searching the water on Friday morning, and that Multnomah or Klamath County sonar units will be brought in to assist in the recovery effort.

The sheriff said the family had been notified and advised it could be a lengthy process.

Adkins said searchers rana camera back and forth across the lake, looking for a sight to dive.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office had four rescue boats searching in the water, while Warm Springs tribal police and the state Parks and Recreation Department each also had a boat assisting in what was being called a recovery effort.

Sheriff's deputies contacted the Deschutes County Sheriff's Search and Rescue coordinator about bringing a dive team to the location where the person last was seen, Adkins said.
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Bryden24shp
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Re: Tragedy at our lake

#2 Post by Bryden24shp » Fri Sep 07, 2012 5:46 am

Thats too bad. You just hate to hear stories, like this. Unlike the Lake of the Ozarks Video. That was preventable. And the driver, no matter how expirienced, was totally at fault.
This however, is a true sad story. Man drowning while attempting to save his son, that he may have ran over with the boat. 73 years old! Wow, what a trooper! If thats the case, I would have done the same thing. Too bad they were not wearing Life Jackets. The son may have ben more visable and the whole outcome, different.
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jimrs
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Re: Tragedy at our lake

#3 Post by jimrs » Fri Sep 07, 2012 6:38 am

That's a sad thing to happen. When we were first learning to ski the first thing we were told is if and when you fall hold up your ski so you can be seen by boats. Then you never ski without a life jacket or a ski belt on.
Ski belts are no longer used as they would not float you face up like most ski jackets.
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Re: Tragedy at our lake

#4 Post by bassn386 » Fri Sep 07, 2012 7:20 am

We tell our grandkids that when the come off the tube, skis or kneeboard they need to raise their arms above their head to make them more visible both for me and for other boaters.

Here in Missouri, it is a requirement to have a safety orange flag to be visible for 360 degrees if someone is being put into the water on a tube, skis, etc., not when they actually skiing or tubing. I see a lot of people displaying it full time, which kind of dilutes the meaning. I've spoken to the Water Patrol at meetings and they say that, depending on how busy they are, they will stop a boat displaying the flag incorrectly and inform them of the law. But, I guess that's not as bad as not having a flag or not showing it when someone is down.
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GregF
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Re: Tragedy at our lake

#5 Post by GregF » Sat Sep 08, 2012 11:33 am

The big lesson here is never jump in the water after a person who is in trouble without taking some kind of PFD with you. That is why we are required to have type IVs. In any MOB situation, the first thing you do is throw a PFD to them, then, if you do end up in the water, there is at least one nearby. I would take another one with me.
Nothing will defuse a situation faster than having floatation available. It buys you time and makes exhaustion a far less critical thing.
I imagine in the end, they are going to find out the old guy just wore himself out trying to drag the young guy back to the boat and went down.
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stickman
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Re: Tragedy at our lake

#6 Post by stickman » Tue Sep 11, 2012 10:27 am

REACH... THROW... ROW... GO! That's what we taught to Boy Scouts.

- Stay on a solid surface (land, boat deck, etc.) and reach out your hand, a pole, boat hook, etc. to someone in the water.

- If they are too far away for that, throw a PFD, cushion, rope, etc. to them.

- After that, row (get yourself closer) to where they are if possible.

- Absolutely LAST option is to go into the water yourself. Even then, you have to know your own limitations to prevent two people in need of rescue.

Unfortunately, when it is your child in the water, emotion likely takes over and you don't stop to think it through.

Sad situation, very sad.
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GregF
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Re: Tragedy at our lake

#7 Post by GregF » Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:02 pm

Yup Rick, that is right out of the Red Cross life saving manual.

I was a WSI in my youth.
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