1 person dead from boating accident over Memorial Day Weekend as officials urge caution on the water this summer

One person is dead, and another woman is injured from boating accidents on Missouri waterways this Memorial Day weekend.
Published: May. 28, 2023 at 10:21 PM CDT

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - One person is dead, and another woman is injured from boating accidents on Missouri waterways this Memorial Day weekend.

According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, 80-year-old Thomas Crain of Chadwick, MO, was killed Thursday on Table Rock Lake during a boating accident. A woman was injured Thursday on the Lake of the Ozarks when she was thrown from a boat.

Memorial Day Weekend is the official kick-off of summer, and officials urge everyone to take precautions on the water.

“Wear your life jacket. That’s the number one thing for safety and survival,” said Jeff Fisher, manager and boat captain for Freedom Boat Club in St. Charles.

The club boasts 380 locations around the world, including locations on the Mississippi River and Lake of the Ozarks.

They require a three-hour training course to ensure members understand how to be safe and confident on the water.

Boating on the lake versus the river will bring different safety precautions.

“Everything’s changing on a river, so from day to day week to week, if you’re unaware of that, you can run yourself into harm’s way,” said Fisher.

Kids under seven are required to wear a life jacket; others need to ensure they are available and accessible.

Don’t drink and operate a boat and always make sure you know the rules of the waterways.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol offers guidelines as well as safety education classes on the MSHP website.