Recovery Effort Underway For Missing 70-Year-Old Boater
MIDDLE RIVER, Md. (WJZ) -- Another tragic day out on Maryland waterways. In Ocean City, a child died after falling off a boat and being struck by a propeller. In Middle River, a recovery effort is also underway for the body of a 70-year-old man.
There have been at least three boating fatalities in just four days, WJZ's Ava-joye Burnett reports.
Sky Eye Chopper 13 was over Dark Head Creek in the critical moments after reports of a 70-year-old man's boat partially capsized.
Divers went in multiple times, but hours later, there were still no signs of the boater.
"So the divers when they went down said the visibility was very poor just because of seaweed and a lot of dirt and debris," said Lt. Tim Rostkowski, Baltimore County Fire Department.
A Baltimore County fire spokesperson said family saw the boater run into issues on the water. They called 911, but it was too late.
Word of the search in Middle River spread.
"Brings back some bad memories," said Lisa Shonko, who knows the pain. Her son drowned last year.
"When I heard about this, I just wanted to stop down and pray that maybe they will find him. We prayed all night that they would find my son, and they didn't," she said.
The last few days have been deadly for boaters in Maryland.
Also on Wednesday, a nine-year-old boy fell off a boat near Ocean City and got hit by the propeller. He later died.
Over the weekend, a kayaker and boater drowned in two separate incidents.
Last year, 21 people died in boating-related fatalities. So far this year, there have been at least 11 deaths in the state.
While investigators still don't know all the circumstances surrounding the man in Middle River, they are urging boaters to make one simple choice.
"It's unfortunate. We encourage folks always if they are going to be on the water, utilize a life jacket," said Rostkowski.
The search in Middle River will resume at 8 a.m. Thursday.
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