Boat accident throws passenger into lake, another missing

Two people cruising Lake Hartwell after dark Sunday night were thrown from their boat and into the Upstate reservoir, leaving one man missing and investigators searching for clues on what caused the accident.

Robert McCullough, a spokesman for the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, said it appears the vessel hit a wake as the boaters drove across the lake about 9:30 p.m. Sunday. One person managed to get back into the boat, but was unable to find the friend, McCullough said.

Rescue crews were on the lake Monday looking for the missing man. The missing boater is believed to be a 26-year-old man, Anderson County Emergency Management Director David Baker told the Independent-Mail.

The accident occurred near the Portman Shoals marina west of Anderson. Rescue crews are focusing on an area near S.C 24 between the marina and Interstate 85, Baker told the Anderson newspaper. Water depths in that area exceed 100 feet.

In an interview with The State, McCullough said the boat driver passed a field sobriety test and there are no signs the boat was being operated "in a negligent manner.''

So far this year, South Carolina has had a handful of boating fatalities. McCullough said more accidents could occur as the summer season gears up and people spend more time on lakes and other waterways across South Carolina. Boating can be particularly dangerous at night if drivers are not careful, he said.

Lake Hartwell is one of South Carolina's most popular recreational reservoirs. The lake straddles the South Carolina-Georgia line west of Anderson, about two hours northwest of Columbia.

This story was originally published May 28, 2018 at 10:20 AM with the headline "Boat accident throws passenger into lake, another missing."