Visitor Dies Following Canoeing Accident Near The Sinks

NPS Digest is reporting that a 65-year-old man from Ontario, Canada was seriously injured in a canoe accident above The Sinks early on Monday afternoon. He was visiting the area to attend the Ain’t Louie Fest, which includes a series of river trips loosely organized by a group of whitewater enthusiasts, and became trapped after his canoe capsized and he was swept downstream. Many of the participants are well trained in swiftwater rescue and immediately began rescue operations. They’d pulled him from the water and had begun CPR by the time emergency responders arrived on the scene. Although he’d been underwater for about a half hour and was unresponsive when rescued, he resumed breathing and his heart again began to beat, but later expired at a local hospital.



The Townsend Volunteer Fire Department, Townsend Police Department, Blount County Sheriff’s Department, and Blount County Fire also responded to the incident. Little River Road was closed for over an hour to allow for emergency traffic.





Jeff

Hiking in the Smokies