On 8/15/2012, at about 3:10pm, two brothers were fishing on Swift Reservoir.  They were ejected from their boat, a 1964, 14' Monarch flat bottom motorboat, while underway.  Life vests were not being worn and they were both drinking beer.  Their boat circled them while other boats came to help.   

Operator stated that he and Victim had been fishing using the electric trolling motor and had caught a couple of fish and were going to make a second pass.  He said Victim was seated in the middle of the boat and he was operating the 35HP outboard at full throttle when Victim yelled at him to bring the stringer of fish in the boat as they were still hanging out of the boat in the water.  Operator said he reached for the stringer and the next thing he knew, they were both in the water. 

North County EMS had commandeered a boat at the boat ramp who took them to the subjects on the lake.  Both subjects were taken back to the boat ramp.  CPR had been in progress on Victim from the time he was taken from the water and continued in the ambulance.  Both subjects were transported to Southwest Washington Medical Center (SWWMC) in Vancouver. 

Victim was pronounced deceased upon arrival to SWWMC.  A search warrant had been ordered by Skamania County Sheriff's personnel to obtain a blood draw from Operator.  Operator was released from SWWMC.  No charges have been filed against Operator at this time - pending outcome of blood draw. 

There were PFD throwable seats and life vests in the boat.   
There were 15 empty beer cans located in the boat.
No vessel damage was reported.
Cougar                        