A 60-year-old Tennessee man drowned Wednesday afternoon at Lake Eufaula after stepping off a sandbar into deep water while trying to free his boat, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. John Bedecker, of Talbott, Tennessee, went underwater before 2:30 p.m. while attempting to push the vessel loose, and his brother pulled him back aboard and began chest compressions before he succumbed to his injuries prior to the arrival of emergency medical services.
The drowning happened in McIntosh County, Oklahoma, on the waters of Lake Eufaula, according to KOKH. Bedecker had stepped into deep water while trying to push the boat off a sandbar, per the outlet's report, and it was his brother who pulled him back into the boat and started CPR before emergency crews could reach the scene.
The Risks of Freeing a Boat on the Water
The incident highlights the danger of stepping into deep water while trying to free a boat.
Lake Eufaula, impounded in 1964, is Oklahoma's largest lake, with 105,500 surface acres, according to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Life Jacket Safety
The fatal drowning occurred at Lake Eufaula.
Recreational boating safety includes awareness of drowning risks and wearing life jackets.
A Difficult Year on Oklahoma's Largest Lake
Bedecker's death follows another fatal drowning at Lake Eufaula this year. A 15-year-old Oklahoma City boy died near a private dock in July, according to McAlester Radio.
Investigators with OHP Troop W had not released additional details on Bedecker's death as of Wednesday night's report. The case underscores, once again, how a routine task on the water — freeing a boat stuck on a sandbar — can turn fatal in seconds when the ground beneath a boater's feet gives way to deep water without warning.
