On 6/25/2023, at 1:45pm, a boating incident occurred on lake tillery.  V1 operator was operating the vessel at the time of the incident; hereinafter known as vessel 1.  The operator of vessel 1 was towing a wakeboarder when the wakeboarder fell.  As vessel 1 began to turn left, a large wake came over the front and into the bow of the vessel.  This caused the front of vessel 1 to dip in a downward angle into the water, which caused a larger amount of water to enter the vessel.  Due to the amount of water in vessel 1, it became unbalanced.  Occupants tried to keep it in the upright position, but more waves of water entered the vessel.  All of the passengers jumped off the left side of the vessel.  The operator stayed on the right side in attempts to keep vessel 1 in an upright position.  Vessel 1 then flipped over to the left and capsized.  The operator went under water with vessel 1.  The operator swam out from underneath the vessel unharmed.

V1 operator along with several friends and family members were spending a day of wakeboarding on the lake.  At the time of the incident, a total of 9 people were on board vessel 1 and 1 being towed which made it, 2 persons over seating capacity.  Vessel 1 was traveling southeast in the randalls ferry cove heading towards open water.  A wakeboarding boat, known as vessel 2 was to the right of vessel 1.  Vessel 2 was pulling two tubes with several individuals in each tube and travelling in the opposite direction heading towards the end of randalls ferry cove.  When vessel 1 began turning left to pick up is downed wakeboarder, a large wake from vessel 2 came over the front of vessel 1 causing it to swamp.

With the amount of water in vessel 1, the occupants were moving from the left side to the right side in attempts to keep it i the upright position.  More wakes from other nearby vessels continued to enter into vessel 1.  The operator instructed all occupants to jump into the water.  All occupants had jumped into the water while the operator stayed on the right side of vessel 1 in an attempt to keep it from rolling over to the left.  Vessel 1 then rolled over towards the left side and capsized with the operator still on board.  The operator then swam out and away from underneath the vessel unharmed.  All occupants were wearing their pfds through the duration of their boating activity on the lake.

All occupants were pulled from the water and taken to a nearby pier by other boaters on the lake.  No injuries occurred from this incident.  The capsized vessel was towed the short distance to the operator/owner's residence.

Alcohol and drugs were not a factor in this incident.  All individuals were wearing a type iii pfd at the time of the incident.  All safety equipment was accounted for and in proper working order.


LAKE TILLERY
NORWOOD                       