Evening Bass-Tourney Mishap Claims Alabama Angler's Life

Imagine hurtling down a river in a bass boat turning 70 mph, with neither the driver nor the passenger aware there's a low-hanging electrical wire just ahead. That's not the setting for a movie. Rather, it's real life, and it happened just two days ago.

As a result, they'll be holding a memorial service this Saturday for the passenger, a 65-year-old retired Army master sergeant from Athens, Alabama. He suffered blunt-force trauma to the head and neck and nearly was decapitated. Meanwhile, the driver escaped without injury.

The pair were fishing a recurring Tuesday evening bass tourney on the Tennessee River with a bunch of other locals. According to one of the regular participants, these events are "held for a group of guys who just want to fish and enjoy good company. Some nights we'll have three boats, and some nights we'll have 20." The regular participant went on to say that the victim "was just a good ol' country boy like the rest of us. He was a good guy."

The incident occurred near a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) power plant, where crews had been using a cable to pull a new line across the river when the cable broke, sending the power line into the water. These crews were just pulling the line out of the river at the time of the accident. Electricity wasn't flowing through the line.

Coast Guard officials said they had closed 1 mile of the river to traffic and had issued warnings on VHF radio more than two hours before the incident. However, the bass boat, as like most smaller craft, didn't carry such a radio. Two TVA boats reportedly were the only patrols in the water to warn passing boaters, but they weren't blocking the path.

As the speeding bass boat entered the danger zone, the low-hanging wire first hit the front-pedestal pole, then the victim. The driver was able to dodge the wire and ended up only losing his hat. Neither person went overboard.

As noted by an eyewitness following close behind this pair of anglers, "They never saw it (the line)." The eyewitness, however, was able to stop in time.

An investigation of this tragedy will take place. "There will be some lessons learned," said a TVA official.

My purpose in posting this item isn't to scare anyone. It's just a reminder that things sometimes happen when you least expect it. Be smart anytime you're on the water and stay focused on the big picture. Unlike the cars and trucks we all drive, our boats still lack a set of brakes.