RedactedNarrative: On saturday 4/26/14, at 19:12hrs, i received a call from the tyrrell county in reference to a boat incident in alligator creek. The dispatcher stated a man had fallen off of his boat and had not been seen since that time. The dispatcher called uscg and the tyrrell county fire department for assistance. Myself and officer proceeded to alligator creek where we met the sheriff of tyrrell county. The sheriff stated that operator had fallen out of the boat he was driving and the two people who were with him were now at a cabin across from the boat landing. I went to the cabin and made contact with the two who stated they had been in the vessel with operator when he fell overboard. 
  
  According to both subjects, operator was operating a 16 foot tiller steer jon boat. They were traveling west towards the boat landing about in the middle of the river. The men had been at the goose pond fishing listening to music and having a few beers. They said they had been drinking but were not drunk. Operator had to urinate and slowed the vessel to idle speed but left it in forward gear. Operator stood in the rear of the vessel and urinated from the motor well. As he finished, he started to sit down on a pedestal seat mounted on top of the rear bench seat. The seat sat about 24 inches above the bench seat and swiveled as operator attempted to sit down, the seat spun, operator lost his balance and fell overboard. The vessel continued west for about 20 feet and stalled. Both subjects asked operator if he could swim to the boat and he said no come pick me up. Operator appeared to be treading water and not in any great distress. 
   
  Occupant1 moved from the bow of the vessel and tried to start the engine. Occupant1 said it took a little bit of time and that they had problems with the engine all weekend. When the engine started and they turned the vessel around, the men could not see operator. They called out for him and idled around for about five minute then called 911. Occupant2 and occupant1 continued to look for operator and were joined by another vessel from their fishing party. Vessels from the tyrrell county fire department and local residents joined in the search. The coast guard sent a small boat crew and a helicopter. Approximately 2300hrs, the search was called off for the night by tyrrell county emergency management. 
  
  That night i examined the vessel. The vessel was a 16 foot jon boat with a tiller steer 30 hp electric start honda outboard. There was a swivel fishing seat mounted on the bow, a cooler mounted in the center and a swivel fishing seat mounted on the rear bench seat of the vessel. The registration was current. Under the bow cap i located two type 2 and two type 4 pfds along with a fire extinguisher. The floor of the vessel was covered in fishing gear and a single beer bottle was loose on the floor. In the cooler were 9 full beers and three empty ones. In the motor well i located five empty beer cans alongside the battery box. I checked the rear fishing seat; it seemed to be unbalanced and spun very easily. 
  
  On 4/27/14 at 1147 hrs, the tyrrell county fire department recovered the body of operator from alligator creek. He was transported to the medical examiner's office in greenville, nc. 
  While alcohol may have been a contributing factor in this incident, it is unclear at this time to what extent. The medical examiner's office stated it would be 9 to 12 weeks before a full toxicology report would be available.