Axton man dies after falling overboard at Smith Mountain Lake

Martinsville Bulletin

Feb 14, 2021

An Axton man has died after falling into Smith Mountain Lake on Friday.

Richard Donald Haynes III, 35, was launching a boat in the water with another man and fell overboard, a Virginia Department of Wildlife release stated.

The other person, who was not identified, was parking a vehicle and boat trailer when the incident occurred at the Penhook No. 9 Boat Ramp.

A woman who saw what happened jumped in the water and attempted to assist Haynes, the release stated.

Rescue crews from Cool Branch, Franklin County and Smith Mountain Lake responded to the call of a possible drowning at 11:07 a.m. at the 1300 block of Jefferson Dock Road in Penhook and Haynes was declared dead at the Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital a short time later.

 

At the boat ramp - which is why I wear my PFD before stepping into my canoe, not once I'm in and seated...heck I put it on before I back the trailer into the water to launch it.

 

Wear your bloody PFD!!

At the drop of a hat someone will loose there life because of careless actions or just plain bad luck Harte and prayers got out to the family 

Really important in cold water especially.  I jumped in to cold water once and was instantly fighting to get to solid ground.  I'm never without mine, even launching or walking the dock.

I read about this when it happened, but there weren't many details. Turns out he was 35 and tried to get back into the boat. 

 

www.smithmountaineagle.com/news/article_e6c1ecc0-6e44-11eb-bc10-c751faea9425.html

 

"...a 35-year-old man who was handling the boat, somehow fell into the water about 25 feet from the ramp, according to Pearson.

The boat continued drifting out into the cove, and Haynes kept attempting to climb back into the boat but was unsuccessful. As he swam back to shore, an onlooker noticed he was struggling and jumped in the water to try to help him get to safety.

 

Two other onlookers threw them a life jacket, tied with a rope, and threw it out to help the two get back faster. Once they arrived back at the dock, EMS was quick to begin CPR, Pearson said, but he was later declared dead.

"We want to thank the kind citizens who were at the Penhook boat ramp that day for trying to save Mr. Haynes life and want to send our condolences out to his family and friends," Pearson said.

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