3 accidents reported on Smith Mountain Lake last week

Courtesy of SML Marine Fire/Rescue

A boat that sank on Friday night and again on Saturday in Bedford County was raised twice by SML Marine Fire/Rescue.

There were three reportable boating accidents last week on Smith Mountain Lake, bringing the lake's 2010 accident count to nine.

On Aug. 3 around 5 p.m., an 18-year-old female was launched from her personal watercraft while crossing a wake, said Lt. Tony Fisher of Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. He said she landed on the seat of her PWC and was transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment of her injuries.

On Aug. 4 around 5:24 p.m., a 50-year-old male fell and broke his right arm while disembarking a boat at Mitchell's Point Marina in Huddleston, said Fisher. The man was transported to Lynchburg General Hospital.

On Aug. 6, a 64-year-old female was injured while wakeboarding, said Fisher. He said the woman was wakeboarding on the Blackwater channel of the lake around 5:17 p.m., when she jumped a wake and injured her knee upon landing. Fisher said she was transported to Lewis-Gale Medical Center in Salem.

Fisher said despite having three accidents reported on the lake last week, it has been a safer season than previous years. According to U.S. Coast Guard data, there were 20 accidents reported on the lake by this time last year.

In non-accident-related events, it was deja vu for members of the Smith Mountain Lake Marine Volunteer Fire/Rescue Co. over the weekend.

On Friday, Aug. 6, a group of boaters docked at Bridgewater Plaza around 8 p.m. with the news of a sinking boat in Bedford County's High Point subdivision. Upon arrival, Marine Fire/Rescue members found the boat tied to the dock and the bilge pump not working. They didn't, however, find the owner of the boat, according to Deputy Chief Al Busch of Marine Fire/Rescue.

Four fireboats and eight members were called in to raise the boat. Busch said Marine Fire/Rescue turned on the pump to finish pumping out the water, left a note on the door of the dock owner and departed around 10:30 p.m.

Busch returned to the dock the next morning to speak with the dock owner, who told him the boat, which belonged to her son-in-law, had sunk again. Busch called for backup from Marine Fire/Rescue members, who again raised the boat. It was taken to a nearby boat ramp and removed from the lake, he said.

Busch said Marine Fire/Rescue members were kept busy coming to the aid of disabled boats, including a cabin cruiser that got hung up on some shoals across from R11 in Bedford County. Shallow water and a rocky bottom made it tough, but Busch said Marine Fire/Rescue was able to pull out the boat.