Man Nearly Drowns in Mountain Island Lake
HUNTERSVILLE, NC – A man is recovering after nearly drowning in Mountain Island Lake. First responders found him on the shore and gave him CPR.
“As soon as the guy came, like five minutes later police show up,” explains Joshua Tiburcio.
It happened near Latta Plantation Nature Preserve around 2:30 Wednesday afternoon.
The Long Creek Fire Department tweeted about a possible jet ski accident.
A spokesperson for Huntersville Fire tells us they arrived to find a man already on the shore.
“It was a quick response,” Tiburcio says.
This latest incident comes just a day after a body was recovered in Lake Norman.
41-year-old James Foster died after two boats crashed late Monday night.
“I try to take every precaution I can to stay safe,” says Huntersville resident Sally Regis-Halm.
She says unfortunate accidents don’t have to happen if people are paying attention.
“It’s not always the driver of the watercraft. It’s the other people on the lake that you have to worry about as well,” she says.
Mistakes and a lack of preparation are something lake patrol officers see all the time.
“You know, folks often just hop in the water and go,” explains Sgt. George Brinzey, with Cornelius Police Department.
WCCB Charlotte went out on Lake Norman Wednesday with officers from the Cornelius Police Department.
“With leisure comes huge responsibility. It’s a very dangerous body of water, just by proximity to the city of Charlotte, very densely populated,” Brinzey says.
They say it’s critical to always inspect your boat, make sure all your safety devices work, and that you have life jackets and a fire extinguisher.
“We just urge people to take this seriously,” Brinzey says.
North Carolina Wildlife Officers offer a free boating safety class.
They are required for boat operators born in 1988 or later.
