On saturday august 31, 2013 at 5:32 pm, 6 hispanic males were involved in a fatal boating accident on lake norman.  The accident occurred in the davidson cove area near marker d-11.  Witnesses say that the operator was highly intoxicated.  After interviewing the other 5 passengers, it is my opinion that they were impaired as well.  For reasons unknown, operator slowed the vessel to an idle speed and then jumped off the vessel.  The passengers realized that operator was in trouble and threw operator a rope.  The passengers were successful in getting operator back into the vessel.  Once operator was back in the vessel, the passengers said that in a joking manner he jumped back into the lake.  Again the passengers attempted to throw operator the rope.  Operator grabbed the rope and wrapped it around his left hand.  Unfortunately, the passengers were unable to hold onto the rope and the vessel began to drift away from operator.  At this point, one of the passengers jumped  the water but operator had drifted too far away.  By the time the passengers were able to get the vessel to operator, he had disappeared under the water.  The vessel was inspected by ncwrc.  The vessel was not adequately equipped with life saving devices.  The vessel was only equipped with 5 type ii pfds and did not have a type iv throwable device.  Over the next three days, ncwrc and other search and rescue officials continued to search the area for operator.  On 9/2/13, around 7:30pm, operator' body was found and recovered from the water.  After arriving at the dock, operator' body was examined.  There were no indications of trauma to the body.  The body had a gray tint to the complexion as well as puffiness in the face consistent with a drowning victim.
MOORESVILLE