ON APRIL 25, 2011, RALEIGH COMMUNICATION RECEIVED A REPORT OF A CAPSIZED VESSEL FLOATING IN THE WACCAMAW RIVER WITH NO SIGN OF THE OPERATOR.  I OFFICER RESPONDED BY BOAT TO THE INCIDENT LOCATION WHERE THE VESSEL WAS BEING HELD BY THE PERSONS WHO CALLED IN THE REPORT.  I THEN DID A QUICK SCAN OF THE RIVER AND THE BANK IN AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO LOCATE THE OPERATOR.  I PULLED THE 12 FT JON BOAT TO THE OWNER'S RESIDENCE AND CHECKED TO SEE IF HE WAS HOME.  THE OWNER WAS NOT AT THE RESIDENCE.  I WAITED AT THE RESIDENCE UNTIL THE OWNER ARRIVED.  HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT HE HAD LOANED HIS BOAT TO A FRIEND.  I THEN CONTACTED AND REPORTED THE MISSING VESSEL OPERATOR TO BRUNSWICK AND COLUMBUS COUNTIES SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS.  SERGENT, OFFICER AND I PATROLLED WACCAMAW RIVER BY BOAT WHERE WE ASSISTED THE SEARCH AND RESCUE BOAT TEAMS.  WE WERE ABLE TO CONDUCT INTERVIEWS TO BOATERS IN THE AREA AND FROM THE INTERVIEWS WERE ABLE TO LOCATE THE LAST KNOWN LOCATION OF victim.  SEARCH AND RESCUE BOATS AND DIVE TEAMS WERE ABLE TO LOCATE victim ONE DAY LATER.  HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE.  CORONER REPORT CONCLUDED THE CAUSE OF DEATH TO BE DROWNING.  IT IS BELIEVED THAT AT SOME POINT victim WAS NOT WEARING HIS PFD AND FELL OUT OR WAS ATTEMPTING TO START THE MOTOR THAT WAS IN FORWARD GEAR AND WAS THROWN OUT WHEN THE MOTOR STARTED AND WAS UNABLE TO BOARD OR SWIM TO SHORE CAUSING HIM TO DROWN.  THE VESSEL WAS PROPERLY REGISTERED AND ALL SAFETY EQUIPMENT WAS IN COMPLIANCE.  ALCOHOL NOR WAS DRUGS BELIEVED TO BE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE INCIDENT.
TABOR CITY                    