ON FRIDAY 4/8/11, AT APPROXIMATELY 1:05PM, two people WERE FLY FISHING IN THE ROANOKE RIVER AT WELDON.  THE VESSEL WAS ANCHORED NEAR THE MIDDLE OF THE RIVER APPROXIMATELY 20 YARDS BELOW THE RAPIDS.  subjects DECIDED TO CHANGE LOCATIONS.  OCCUPANT, WHO WAS IN THE FRONT OF THE BOAT, ATTEMPTED TO FREE THE ANCHOR.  HE COULD NOT FREE THE ANCHOR.  THE OPERATOR DECIDED TO TRY AND FREE THE ANCHOR UNDER POWER.  THE OPERATOR TIED THE ANCHOR TO THE STERN (STERN HANDLE).  THE OPERATOR DROVE UPSTREAM TOWARD THE RAPIDS, BUT THE ANCHOR HELD FAST.  THE OPERATOR WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN STEERAGE AND KEEP THE BOW INTO THE CURRENT.  THE CURRENT SWEPT THE BOAT DOWNSTREAM.  THE ANCHOR HELD FAST AND THE VESSEL QUICKLY FILLED WITH WATER AND SANK.  THE PASSENGER WAS ABLE TO GRAB A TYPE II AND A TYPE IV PFD AND THE OPERATOR GRABBED A TYPE III PFD AS THEY WENT INTO THE WATER.  THE OPERATOR AND PASSENGER WERE QUICKLY PULLED FROM THE WATER BY NEARBY BOATERS.  SHORTLY AFTER THEY WERE PICKED UP, THE ANCHOR ROPE BROKE AND THE SUBMERGED BOAT DRIFTED DOWNSTREAM.  OTHER BOATERS ASSISTED AND WERE ABLE TO GUIDE THE SUBMERGED BOAT TO THE HALIFAX SIDE OF THE RIVER APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS DOWNSTREAM FROM THE WELDON ACCESS AREA BOAT RAMP.  THE BOAT WAS BAILED OUT AND TOWED BACK TO THE BOAT RAMP.

THERE WERE NO INJURIES.  BOTH OPERATOR AND PASSENGER LOST FISHING GEAR AND CAMERA EQUIPMENT AND PERSONAL ITEMS.  THE VESSEL MOTOR WAS COMPLETELY SUBMERGED BUT STILL ATTACHED TO THE VESSEL.  THERE WAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE HULL OF THE VESSEL.

WELDON                        