RedactedNarrative: On October 8th 2017 at 0152 hours, I was contacted by Georgia State Patrol dispatch in reference to a boating incident on Lake Blackshear. Senior Dispatcher advised me a vessel was taking on water and sinking rapidly with 4 people on board.  The exact location was unknown, all the caller could advise was, they were somewhere between the Lake Blackshear Marina and the Crisp County Power Dam.  I contacted Corporal for assistance.  At 0244 hours, Cpl. and I located the floating vessel directly west of Linkin Pinch Slough on the Sumter County Side of Lake Blackshear.  
  
  Four people and one large dog were aboard the vessel.  The vessel, a 1997 Bayliner, with Georgia registration GA0474BX, was totally swamped and floating in the water.  All four occupants and dog were assisted into our patrol vessel and transported to the shoreline where Sumter County Fire and Rescue was standing by.  
  
  According to Subject, Operator was operating the vessel when they shut off the engine and was just listening to music.  Subject stated they were all on the back of the boat taking pictures and after some time they noticed a lot of water in the boat and it was sinking very rapidly.  The vessel would not start due to being flooded, but the bilge pump was working properly.  All four occupants began to scoop out water with no success.  Subject said he jumped into the water to check the drain plug and it was properly secured in place.  
  
  All four occupants were checked out by Sumter County Fire and Rescue and all stated they were ok.  Sumter County Fire and Rescue transported two people, Operator and the dog.  Cpl. and I had Subject come with us so we could tow his swamped vessel back to his residence.  Subject put the vessel on a boat lift to make it easier to inspect and allow the water to drain.  After inspecting the vessel it was determined the 6 inch round transom access hatch, which was located on the stern of the vessel was missing.  With all four occupants sitting and standing on the stern of the vessel, this was causing water to enter two water flow holes and enter the transom access hatch.  Once the hull filled up, water then flowed over the transom and entered the transom access hatch at a rapid pace.
  