RedactedNarrative: This is a single vessel accident that occurred on Fontana Lake. The group of occupants that were on board this vessel had been on the lake 8 hours and had been on a work picnic and had been consuming alcoholic beverages. The vessel was a pontoon boat carrying 8 occupants on board.  This Pontoon was a rented boat from Alarka Boat Dock located on the lake. 
  
  At the time of the accident, the boat operator was cruising at a speed not greater than 10 miles per hour and was returning back to the dock from their outing.  The driver had not been consuming alcoholic beverages and was the designated driver.  Two occupants were riding on the bow of the Pontoon Boat and had been dipping their feet into the water while it was underway. Both of these occupants had been consuming alcoholic beverages.  The occupant listed as (Victim Injured 1) in the injured section was sitting in the middle of the bow, and the occupant listed as (Injured 2) was sitting on left side of the bow.  The occupant sitting in the middle dipped her feet in the water too deep causing her to lose her balance and begin to fall forward.  At the same time, the occupant to her left reached for her and both occupants went into the water while the boat was moving forward. 
  
  At that time both occupants disappeared under the boat and were struck by the propeller.  Victim 1 that was sitting in the middle of the boat hit her head and neck on the propeller, and victim 2 had minor lacerations caused by the propeller.  The driver heard the victims hit the propeller while she was attempting to cut the engine off.  The victims then floated out from under the boat and to the rear of the pontoon. 
  
  All occupants on the Pontoon then grabbed life jackets and started to rescue both victims.  Victim 1 was unconcious and was floating face down in the water, and victim 2 was conscious and floating with her head out of the water.  Victim 1 was put onto the vessel, and victim 2 was put onto another Pontoon boat that was in the area.  CPR was performed on Victim 1 until she started breathing again on her own.  Both victims were then carried by the Pontoon Boats to Alarka Boat Dock where an ambulance was standing by.  They were then transported to Swain Hospital.  Victim 1 was carried by helicopter to Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC.  She was in the hospital for 5 days and had surgery to repair a skull fracture and lacerations to the back of the neck.  She has since been sent home and is improving but has no memory as to what happened. 
  
  Victim 2 was treated and released from Swain Hospital for lacerations to both feet and right arm.  She also had a concussion and did not recall what had happened to her in the accident. 
  
  The driver stated that both victims had been drinking alcoholic beverages and she was unsure if drugs had been taken before leaving the dock at 11:00 am.  She did see both victims fall overboard and could not react to it in time to cut off the engine.  Life jackets were used during the rescue efforts but they were not used by the victims.  They were only used by the rescuing party. 
  
  No further investigation is needed in this incident.  No charges have been filed in this incident.
  
  
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