VESSEL WAS PUT INTO THE RIVER FOR THE PURPOSE OF SEARCHING FOR SCRAP METAL. PASSENGERS PADDLED DOWNSTREAM USING BOARDS HAS PADDLES.  THEY ALL BEGAN TO PADDLE UPSTREAM AND HAD DIFFICULTLY SO THEY DECIDED TO TO TRY AND ATTEMPT TO PULL THE VESSEL UPSTREAM BY LOGS AND OVERHANGING BRANCHES OVER THE RIVER. PASSENGER STATED THAT HE WAS ON THE FRONT OF THE VESSEL AND REACHED FOR A LOG THAT WAS STICKING OUT FROM THE BANK. PASSENGER PULLED ON THE LOG AND REACHED IT TO OPERATOR WHO WAS SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE VESSE.  PASSENGER THEN PULLED ON THE LOG ATTEMPTING TO PULL THE VESSEL FORWARD. PASSENGER AND OPERATOR BOTH HEARD SOMETHING SNAP AND THE VESSEL LUNGED FORWARD. AT THAT TIME THEY COULD HEAR THE INJURED BOY CRYING. THE LOG APPEARED TO HAVE BROKEN OFF AND THE TIP MADE CONTACT WITH THE BOYS NECK. THE INJURY WAS A 3" X 1" LACERATION ACROSS THE INJURED NECK. THE PASSENGER AND OPERATOR TIED OFF THE VESSEL TO THE BANK AND WALKED TO A NEARBY HOUSE TO CALL 911.
MANCHESTER                    