State officials urged swimmers, boaters and other water enthusiasts to take safety precautions heading into what’s expected to be a busy recreational holiday week.
That includes not consuming alcohol when boating, wearing bright clothing that can be easily spotted by other watercraft and, first and foremost, using appropriate floatation apparel.
“You have to wear a life jacket,” said Dawn Cramer, a staff lieutenant in the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ parks and watercraft division.
The recommendations came after a deadly weekend on Ohio waters, with one confirmed death and two presumed drownings.
A 34-year-old man was pronounced dead late Saturday night at the Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State University after being pulled from a quarry near the Runaway Bay Apartments on the northwest side of Columbus.
A caller told a 911 dispatcher that the man took off his shirt and decided to try to swim across the quarry, dove in and did not resurface.
In Athens County, firefighters resumed their search Monday morning for a man missing in the Hocking River since Saturday night.
The 29-year-old reportedly was not wearing a shirt or shoes when he jumped into the river at about 8 p.m. and was swept downstream.
And in Licking County, crews and friends and family members were scanning the Licking River east of Newark Monday for 22-year-old James Michael Krofft, missing since falling from a raft in fast-moving water late Sunday afternoon near Blackhand Gorge.
Licking County Sheriff’s Office Col. Chad Dennis said the area is frequented by swimmers and others and is at least 20 feet deep in places on a normal day.
“Right now, with the waters being so high due to all the rain, who knows how deep it is?,” he said.
ODNR, which oversees watercraft licensing and law enforcement, urged Ohioans to wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets when boating, wading or fishing in rivers, lakes and streams.
So far this year, five people have died in boating-related drownings in state waterways, according to statistics compiled by the state agency. A total of 27 drowned in similar watercraft-related incidents from 2015-17.
Nearly 80 percent of all fatal boating-related accidents since 2015 involved people either not wearing or improperly wearing life jackets, according to ODNR.
Five other people have drowned in swimming areas at state parks since 2014, all incidents that were separate from the boating-related fatalities, according to Stephanie Leis, an ODNR spokeswoman.
Overall, boating-related fatalities have been on the decline in recent decades, though the number of watercraft registered with the state has been on the rise.
Last year, nearly 543,000 watercraft were registered with ODNR, up from about 475,000 two years prior. Registrations in Franklin County rose to about 34,100 last year from about 29,800 in 2015.
Among other safety recommendations, ODNR urged Ohioans to refrain from swimming alone or drinking alcohol while out on the water and to let others know about boating plans before leaving the dock. Cramer said water sports enthusiasts should consider completing one of the free boating and safety courses offered by ODNR.
If a watercraft capsizes, occupants should stay with the vessel, and others should call 911 rather than diving in to attempt a rescue, she said.
“I don’t think people realize a lot of times just how far it is” to swim out on open water, Cramer said, adding, “We strongly encourage you to call for help and stay where you’re at.”
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