The police in Burke County, Georgia, have identified the boater who died in a boating accident last week. The victim was identified on Tuesday, March 31st, as Freddie Rachels, 39, of Midville.
The boating accident the deceased was involved in occurred last Thursday, March 26th, on the Ogeechee River in Burke County. The sheriff’s office said that at about 10 p.m., deputies were dispatched to the 101 S. Main St. in Midville, after receiving a boat ramp call about the accident.
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On getting to the scene, the deputies uncovered that two people were in a small boat that struck an object and started taking in water, which made it sink. The two abandoned the boat and tried to swim to the shore.
Only one of the two made it to shore, and sadly, Rachels drowned in the water. The police mounted a search for the body of the deceased, but they could not locate it until about 3:25 p.m. on Monday, March 30th.
The accident reports also showed that the police in the company of a chaplain then proceeded to inform Rachels’ family of his death, before releasing his identity. In a press release, the sheriff asked the public to pray for the deceased’s family and keep them in their thoughts.
The deputies at the scene had the assistance of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia State Patrol, and Burke County EMA. They also had the help of the Burke County Dive Team, Emmanuel County Sheriff’s Office, Twin City Fire Department, and South Georgia Mounted Search and Rescue.
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