WAVERLY, Ohio — A boat that collided with another watercraft on Lake White flipped upside down the evening of Aug. 21, leaving one person seriously injured and prompting a water rescue by the Waverly Fire Department.
The fire department was dispatched to the Lake White Boat Ramp area at 7:56 p.m. on a report of the overturned boat, with initial reports indicating one person was unresponsive in the middle of the lake, according to the department.
The department’s water rescue team rapidly mobilized and arrived on scene as a boat was bringing the patient to shore, the fire department said. Rescuers provided first aid to the patient while awaiting the arrival of emergency medical services. EMS personnel stabilized the patient, who sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries, and transported them to Adena Pike Medical Center.
Additional crew members launched the department’s rescue boat to assist with debris removal, the fire department said. Another crew boarded a bystander’s boat and, with the bystander’s help, worked to secure the damaged watercraft to prevent it from sinking.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the collision, which remains pending, according to the fire department.
The Waverly Fire Department said the incident serves as a reminder for boaters to remain aware of their surroundings and the limitations of their watercraft while on the water. The department also thanked the bystanders who stepped in to help.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Waverly Fire Department.
