    ON 05-06-2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 HOURS, I, INDIANA CONSERVATION OFFICER 1 AND ICO 2 RESPONDED TO A BOAT SINKING ON BROOKVILLE LAKE OFF FAIRFIELD BOAT RAMP IN UNION COUNTY, IN. ONCE THERE WE MET WITH UNION COUNTY SHERIFF DEPUTY WHO WAS WITH THE OWNERS OF THE BOAT, PASSENGER 1 AND OPERATOR, AND THE FAMILY THEY HAD WITH THEM. ICO 2 AND I BEGAN TO TALK WITH THE OWNERS AS WELL, ASKING THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY EXPLAINED TO US THAT THEY WERE GOING ACROSS THE LAKE (EAST) BACK TOWARDS THE BOAT RAMP AND THEIR BOAT BEGAN TO TAKE ON WATER. PASSENGER 1 AND OPERATOR BOTH STATED THAT THE BACK RIGHT SIDE OF THE BOAT STARTED TO GO UNDER WATER.    
     
        WE THEN BEGAN TO SPEAK WITH PASSENGER 2, THE FATHER OF OPERATOR, WHO WAS ALSO ON THE BOAT WHEN IT WENT DOWN. HE STATED THAT THE BACK RIGHT SIDE OF THE BOAT BEGAN TO TAKE ON WATER INTO THE HULL. WHEN THEY REALIZED WHAT WAS GOING ON, THEY BEGAN TO SIGNAL FOR HELP FROM OTHER BOATERS. PASSENGER 2 DID SAY HE WAS NOT SURE HOW OR WHY THE BOAT WAS TAKING ON WATER, BUT IT TOOK IT ON FAST. THEY WERE ABLE TO GET HELP FROM WITNESS, WHO GAVE THEM A RIDE BACK TO THE FAIRFIELD RAMP.    
     
        AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE FATHER, WE WENT BACK TO TALK WITH PASSENGER 1 AND OPERATOR ABOUT INFORMATION ON WHERE THE BOAT WENT DOWN. THEY TOLD US THE MAN WHO RESCUED THEM, WITNESS, GAVE THEM COORDINATES OF WHERE THE BOAT WENT DOWN. WE ASKED THEM IF THEY HAD EVER TAKEN A BOATER EDUCATION COURSE AND THEY STATED YES. PASSENGER 1 HAD TAKEN THE COURSE AND OPERATOR HAD WATCHED AS SHE DID EVERYTHING, BUT BOTH WENT THROUGH THE ONLINE COURSE.    
     
        ICO 2 AND I GATHERED INFORMATION FROM THEM IN REGARDS TO THEIR INSURANCE, REGISTRATION AND TITLE. WE THEN LEFT AND WENT TO PICK UP A BOAT FROM MOUNDS SRA OOFFICE TO TRY AND FIND THE BOAT UTILIZING SONAR. ONCE BACK AT THE FAIRFIELD RAMP, WE LAUNCHED AND TOOK ONE OF THE WORKERS FROM DAVIS TOWING WITH US TO LOOK. WE WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE BOAT ON THIS DAY.    
     
        THE BOAT WAS LOCATED BY SIDE SCAN SONAR ON 05-24-2023 BY OFFICERS 3, ICO 2 AND LT. 4. ON 05-25-2023, THE BOAT WAS RECOVERED BY DAVIS TOWING. ONCE THE BOAT WAS ON TRAILER ICO 2 TOOK PICTURES OF THE WATERCRAFT. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BOAT SANK DO TO NOT HAVING ANY OF THE THREE (3) DRAIN PLUGS INSTALLED (SEE PHOTOGRAPHS).  
Brookville Lake
Liberty                       