Man pulled under water by sinking boat

WABASH, Ind. (WANE) - A boat sank in the Mississinewa Reservoir Saturday afternoon taking its operator with it, nearly drowning a man from Kokomo.

According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Christopher Morris, 30, was in his small fishing boat at the Red Bridge Ramp waiting to place the boat on a trailer.

Morris told conservation officers that small waves came in over the back of the 12-foot boat where he was sitting and the boat took on water very quickly.

The boat turned to sink vertically while Morris’ foot was stuck between a gear in the stern of the boat.  According to DNR, the boat pulled Morris five to eight feet under water before he could free his foot to swim to the surface.

Witnesses reported that it took the boat only a few seconds to totally submerge once it started taking on water.

A dive team made of conservation officers recovered the boat in 22 feet of water.

Investigators believe there was too much weight concentrated in the back of the boat when the waves hit.  They said the outboard motor, gas tank, trolling motor with battery and Morris’ weight caused the boat to be swamped with water too easily.