Vernon man falls off boat after losing balance and hits propeller

VERNON – Police are looking into what role alcohol may have played in a weekend boating accident which left a Vernon man badly injured — and they’re not investigating the driver of the boat.

Police believe a 21-year-old Vernon man who fell off the bow of a boat and struck the propeller might have been drunk, RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says.

“Police are continuing to investigate this file and are investigating if liquor may have contributed to the victim losing his balance,” Molendyk says, adding the operator of the boat was not impaired.

The group of five boaters were out on Okanagan Lake Saturday, May 30, and the investigation has already revealed the injured man was consuming alcohol, police just don’t know to what extent it factored into the accident.

He tumbled into the water when the driver made a sharp turn to retrieve a wake boarder who had fallen while being towed. He suffered serious injuries to his ankle, leg and lower back and was taken to Vernon Jubilee Hospital for treatment.

“The police would like to remind everyone with the start of the boating season to think about safety on the water. Sitting on the bow of a boat towing a skier may not be the safest thing to be doing,” Molendyk says. “The RCMP want everyone to enjoy themselves on the water this year. Just a reminder about wearing your lifejackets and the consumption of liquor while out there.”

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.