The 4th of July was not without incidents this year either because on Saturday, two people were reported dead and three are still missing after their boat capsized in Ohio River.
Nine people were riding on the pontoon boat when it hit the Clark Memorial Bridge and capsized.
Out of the nine people, the authorities managed to pull six from the water. Two of them died and three are still missing, according to Chief Greg Frederick of the Louisville Fire Department.
The other four people who remained alive were taken to the nearest hospitals to benefit from medical care. There were three children who were transported to Kosair Children’s Hospital. Their injuries were not very severe and they were said to be in stable condition.
An ambulance took the other adult person to University of Louisville Hospital but there were no reports regarding the condition of that patient. The identities of the people in the boat have not been released to the press yet.
Among the people who are still missing, there is at least another underage person.
One of the bodies was pulled from the Indiana side of the Ohio river. The boat was found not far from the bridge construction in the city center, lying against a work barge.
Officials said it was most probably a rented boat, given the signature inscribed on its side and it was 20 feet long.
The authorities reported that the incident must have occurred around 9 p.m., while the many crowds came to watch the fireworks displayed on Independence Day along Waterfront Park. The first 9-1-1 call was made at 9:28 p.m. and officials immediately came to the rescue.
Many departments are now involved in the search, including the Louisville Fire Department and Police Department, the Carksville Fire Department, the New Albany Fire Department and the Jeffersonville Fire Department.
Although the authorities are doing everything they can to find the three missing people, Chief Greg Frederick said that the current is too swift for divers to go into the water. This is why they have to limit their search at the surface with helicopters and boats.
Image Source: wsbtv