Sad Day On Lake Norfork

[Labrat]

The bodies of two West Plains men have been recovered in the Henderson area of Lake Norfork in Arkansas in what lawmen believe was a boating accident.
Jason Ledbetter, 28, and Travis Dunnihoo, 31, were reported missing from their boat 5:24 p.m. Sunday, according to Baxter County (Ark.) Sheriff John Montgomery. He said a man had called the Baxter County 911 office to report he’d found the empty boat on the bank in the Float Creek area and that it had belonged to two men who were participating in a fishing tournament with him.
Upon arrival at 5:37 p.m., Montgomery said, responders found two face masks (used for warmth) and a pair of shoes that had washed up on shore near the area of the 18-foot Champion bass boat.
The boat was equipped with a global positioning satellite (GPS) system which had tracked and recorded the craft’s movements, Montgomery said. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Specialist Cary Wilcoxen retrieved information from the GPS, which directed rescuers to the site suspected of being linked to the men’s disappearance.
After several hours, Montgomery said, authorities with the Missouri State Water Patrol arrived with side-scan sonar equipment that was used to locate what was believed to be the bodies in approximately 97 feet of water about 2:15 a.m. today. The location was marked with buoys and divers responded.
Montgomery said Ledbetter’s body was recovered about 4:40 a.m. and Dunnihoo’s at 9:45 a.m. Both were transported to the Henderson Park area and taken to the county coroner.
Data from the GPS indicated that the boat had made a sharp right turn at one point, and it is likely the operator lost control at that point, the men thrown overboard, Montgomery said. He added the bodies were found between 22 and 60 feet from where the GPS showed the sharp right turn being made, that they were approximately 42 feet apart and about 639 feet from where the boat had been found on the shore.
The men were not wearing life preservers, he said, adding that the kill switch, which is connected to the boat’s motor, was not attached to either man nor was it in use.
He said it was very windy Sunday on the lake and the water was white-capping. Weather stats show the wind gusting to about 16 mph and the air temperature at 50 degrees.
Ten sheriff’s deputies, under the command of Lt. Terry Johnson, officers with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Army Corp of Engineers, responders with the Volunteer Fire Department and Baxter Regional Medical Center participated in the search. All were on the scene for a little more than 17 hours, from 5:37 p.m. Sunday to 11 a.m. today.
A helicopter and boat belonging to the sheriff’s department, along with divers and underwater cameras were used.
The children of the men attend Fair View Elementary School. Fair View Superintendent Vic Williams told The Quill counseling will be available to first- through third-grade students, and the counselor will visit with classmates of the Ledbetter and Dunnihoo children.
He added that “Fun Night” which was scheduled for first graders today, has been postponed.

http://home.centurytel.net/westplainsdailyquill/

[bugman]

We all should be a little more careful while on the water especially with the winter and cold water coming,you dont get many second chances when the water gets cold and you have some sort of accident...be careful out there fellas.

[CrappieHead]

We all should be a little more careful while on the water especially with the winter and cold water coming,you dont get many second chances when the water gets cold and you have some sort of accident...be careful out there fellas.

Life vest are a must and the faster boats the kill switch would be a good idea. I beleive in bibs over coveralls when fishing cold weather and if I can leaving the legs unzipped.

[gonefishingee]

I know to well you never know when you are going to take a swim.
Man you hate to here that prayer to the familys.

[old fuzzy]

very sad to read this,they put kill switches in boat for a reason i think that even though we have to many laws that they should make 1 that any time the big motor is in use that a life-vest must b on and zipped upand kill switch hooked up,not saying that the out-come would be different as if they hit the water wrong and were unconious at least they would have a chance and the kids would still have dad's...very sad deal

[gonefishingee]

That is a good idea Fuzzy.
I always get my Jackets and through able out because its the law and I seem to be a magnet for patrol boats.
Most tourneys require you were them when the big motor is running I always do that.

I like most get comfortable with where I fish and do not clip the kills switch on and jacket up.
I will think about it every time I get in the boat now.
Heck I make the kids where theirs I should where mine.

And we all want to make it to the next campout.

[fryguy]

i never wear a life jacket in the boat. i should, but my boat only goes maybe 30 miles an hour. i should really put that on more. shame to hear stories like this.

[old fuzzy]

with the new vest's on the market today there is no reason to not have 1 on comfort or not,i know all to well about hiting the water at speed and it hurts(had a steering wheel come off in my hands and b-4 i could say oops i was wet)a jacket and a kill switch is why iam writeing this today,so there are no reasons not to wear them ever..fuzz

[Miller]

that is sad, makes you think

[Kit Papermouth]

I'm going to put a clamp on the kill switch that isn't such a pain in the butt. I never use it cuz it takes 30 second to get the small clamp over the kill switch latch on my vest.

You know, I put mine on when I move from spot to spot. When the water gets below 60 degrees, I typically leave it on all the time. One of these days I'm going to get one of the new inflatables so its more comfortable.

Never thought about it before though. My kids see Dad put it on all the time, and that's where they learn a lot of the their behaviors. I should know, I've already seen the bad traits they've picked up from me.


G.