OPERATOR AND 2 PASSENGERS LEFT BIRCHFIELD PARK AT APPROXIMATELY 6:30 A.M. TO RUN 3 GILL NETS.  AFTER RUNNING THE GILL NETS THE BOAT WAS LOADED WITH APPROXIMATELY 250-300 LBS OF FISH. THE LIVE WELL AND A 120 QT ICE CHEST WERE LOADED AS WELL AS FISH IN THE BOTTOM OF THE BOAT. PASSENGER WAS SITTING OVER THE LIVEWELL ON THE PORT NEAR THE STERN WITH THE ICE CHEST LOADED WITH FISH BESIDE HER. THE OTHER PASSENGER WAS SITTING IN THE BOW OF THE VESSEL AND VICTIM WAS OPERATING. AFTER RUNNING THE NETS ALL 3 WERE HEADED BACK TO THE PARK WHERE THEY STATED THEY FELT A BUMP AND THE BOAT SLID SIDEWAYS. DUE TO OVERLAODING AND IMPROPER LOADING THE BOAT TIPPED ON THE PORT STERN CORNER CAUSING THE VESSEL TO CAPSIZE. ALL 3 OCCUPANTS GATHERED AROUND THE BOW OF THE VESSEL THAT WAS STILL ABOUT 2' OUT OF THE WATER. THEY DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT THEY WERE ALL OK AND 2 OF THE PASSENGERS DECIDED TO HOLD ONTO THE ICECHEST AND FLOAT TO SHORE. OPERATOR TOLD THEM HE WANTED TO STAY WITH THE VESSEL. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS FLAGGED DOWN VESSEL FOR HELP AND WENT BACK TO GET OPERATOR OF VESSEL. HE WAS NO WHERE TO BE FOUND. DIVE TEAMS FROM TUSCALOOSA FIRE & RESCUE WORKED UNTIL THE VICTIM WAS RECOVERED  APPROXIMATELY 50 FT FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE AT 6:30 P.M. OPERATOR WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINERS OFFICE AND PRONOUCNED DEAD. THE OTHER 2 OCCUPANTS WERE NOT INJURED.
BROOKWOOD                     