Accidents on Missouri Waters Leave One Missing, One Dead
One man has gone missing and another man is dead after separate accidents on Missouri waterways.
The Missouri State Patrol says 33-year-old Jason Hayes of West Alton, Mo was operating a boat on the Missouri River near Pelican Island around 6:40 p.m. Saturday. His boat apparently struck an unknown object in the water. The impact caused the motor to become dislodged from the vessel. Hayes is now reported to be missing.
A boating accident on the Lake of the Ozarks has left a California man dead. The fatality happened at the Gravois Arm of the lake Saturday afternoon. Troopers say 52-year-old Raymond Duff of Winnetka, California was guiding a pontoon boat to the shoreline when he exited the vessel voluntarily. After Duff stepped into the water, he was struck by the wake which resulted in a medical emergency. Duff was pronounced dead at 2:25 p.m. Saturday at Lake Regional Hospital.
A third accident in Macon County leaves a Columbia man with serious injuries. Troopers say 55-year-old Robert Benedetti fell while water skiing at the Long Branch Lake around 3:30 p.m. Saturday. He was first taken to Samaritan Hospital in Macon before being flown to University Hospital in Columbia.