2 dead, child and deputy taken to hospital after boat capsizes
Two men are dead and a young child and sheriff ’s deputy were taken to area hospitals Sunday after a boat capsized on a private pond in Bethel Twp. in Clark County.
Emergency crews were called at 4:41 p.m. to the 10000 block of Schiller Road on a “report of potentially people underwater from a capsized boat as well as other people struggling in the water,” said Bethel Twp. Fire Chief Jacob King.
Responding crews immediately dove into the water and rescued a 7-year-old “struggling to remain above water with no life jacket on,” King said.
In the process, a Clark County Sheriff ’s deputy suffered exhaustion and was transported to a hospital. The deputy, identified Monday as Vaughn Apel by the sheriff ’s office, has been released from the hospital.
A man at the scene was declared deceased, King said.
The child was transported to an area hospital. A second man was also taken to the hospital Sunday, and he later died, the Clark County Sheriff ’s Office confirmed
Monday afternoon.
Authorities have not released either victim’s name, and an investigation was opened by the Clark County Coroner’s Office.
King said none of the people in the boat were wearing life jackets. He said the incident was one of several reported near-drownings Sunday.
“We just beg you to wear your life jacket,” King said. “We see this happen every year where there’s avoidable deaths from drowning.”
Multiple crews were called to the scene to aid in the rescue, including the Clark
County Sheriff’s Office, a Clark County park ranger, crews from New Carlisle, Huber Heights and Enon, and a dive team with a boat from Wright-patterson Air Force Base that recovered one of the victims. A Careflight medical helicopter responded and landed but did not transport anyone. Witnesses also jumped in to help.
“A lot of heroic acts happened today,” King said.
Staff Writer Jen Balduf contributed to this report.