Man ‘Watched His Boat Sink’ at Pathfinder After Weekend Mishap
Nearly full ballast tanks and high winds caused a wakeboard boat with eight passengers to sink at Pathfinder Reservoir on Sunday, but a proactive driver prevented a far worse outcome.
Wyoming Game and Fish Public Information Specialist Janet Milek said the nearly full ballast tanks caused the boat to sit lower to the water. That, coupled with a wind gust just as the driver was turning the boat, led to water coming over the boat.
No one was hurt.
Milek said the driver knew that his boat was going to sink, so he get everyone aboard in life jackets except himself. The driver then jumped onto a tube the boat was pulling.
At that point there was nothing the boater and his passengers could do but watch his boat sink, Milek said.
Game and Fish Regional Wildlife Supervisor Brian Olsen said that no citations were issued — it was simply an unfortunate accident.
The accident happened in the area Pathfinder Dam near Wolf Point. Responding agencies included the Natrona County Sheriff's Office, Natrona County Fire Protection District and Wyoming Life Flight.
"The wind blew them right to shore pretty fast," Olsen said. "Once they were in the water, it didn't take them very long to get blown right to shore."
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