NEW ALBANY —
A recovery operation is under way for a commercial fisherman who fell off a boat in the Ohio River after a possible medical emergency Thursday morning.
The victim has been identified as Richard Hovis II, 34, of Birdseye in Dubois County.
Hovis was one of three men on a flat-bottomed commercial fishing boat running a net about 25 or 30 yards from the New Albany shoreline, Indiana Conservation Officer Mac Spainhour said. They were about 100 yards west of the Sherman Minton Bridge.
Louisville dispatchers received a 911 call at 10:26 a.m. from a man on the coast reporting he had seen a man fall off a boat, and the Coast Guard received a mayday call from the boaters.
Spainhour said Hovis was dropping a hook for the net when he fell overboard. He was not wearing any type of life jacket.
“When he dropped a hook, they heard him gasp for air and fall over. He took a nose dive off the boat and sunk immediately,” Spainhour said.
Joseph Schigur, 33, was operating the boat and Alfred Gibson, 55, also was on board. They were described as experienced fisherman on a heavy-duty commercial fishing boat using a net with global positioning devices.
Sgt. Salvador Melendez of Louisville Metro Fire and Rescue said they had divers in the water within 45 minutes after the first 911 call, but they were unable to locate the victim. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources took over the recovery efforts early Thursday afternoon.
“We have a $50,000 piece of equipment called a sidescan sonar we’re using,” Spainhour said. “We have a pretty good idea where the net is, so we’re hoping we should be able to pick him up pretty quickly.”
Family member told Spainhour that Hovis has had seizures in the past, but not for a while. He said they will be looking into his medical history.
Recent Local News
Related Photos
-
New Albany firefighters assisted Louisville Fire & Rescue in looking for a man who is believed to have drowned this morning. Staff Photo by Matt Thacker
Discussion
Missing commercial fisherman identified as search of Ohio River continues
Birdseye man heard gasping before falling into Ohio River
- Recent Local News
-
-
Checkered past: Cab company’s permit suspended in New Albany after employee arrests
“We’re not an evil company,” White said after the meeting.
-
Jeffersonville mayor, council disagree on hiring
Moore said he would veto the legislation, but include a recommendation that the three already hired positions be funded. Zastawny said the council would consider that recommendation.
-
GCCS OKs modified balanced calendar
The calendar for 2012-2013 closely follows the calendar adopted by the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corporation for the same year.
-
Utility vows to bring projects to council
Stormwater officials shared letters with the council from residents in the Castlewood neighborhood who credited the basin addition for easing flooding in the area.
- News and Tribune briefs for Feb. 8, 2012
-
Just doing their jobs, well: Fairmont Elementary School gets recognition, $25,000 award
-
House panel leader leery of creationism bill
Supporters in the Senate, which approved the bill last week in a 28-22 vote, say the broader religious reference improves the bill’s chances of being ruled constitutional.
-
Statehouse action resumes after Super Bowl break
Daniels wants legislators to concede to some more of his wish-list items as they head toward their mandatory March 14 deadline for the session’s end.
-
Work on Pine View under way
He also said work was “significantly” moving forward. He expects the building to be completed by mid-June. The county approved $1.2 million for renovation work for Pine View, which will also be used for some county offices.
-
Prosser hosts heated competition
-
Clarksville decides to rethink bridge project
“Anytime you have a traffic light, you have a built-in safety concern,” Gilkey said after the meeting. “Sooner or later, someone’s going to go through it."
- Four more arrests made in Jeffersonville shooting case
-
Vissing Park construction over budget by $2M
“I don’t even know if there was ever a working budget” that included the $2 million figure, Parks and Recreation Director Paul Northam said. “I think it’s basically a guesstimate.”
-
Georgetown spelunker died of self-inflicted gunshot wound
Crawford County Coroner Chris Brown said he agreed with the pathologist’s finding that Eve died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to a statement released Tuesday morning by the Department of Natural Resources.
-
Greenville town manager hired, incensing silenced crowd
Richardson threatened to have the town marshal clear the gym, but decided against it.
“I am asking people out there to stay out of it. This has nothing to do with you. You elected us to represent you.”
But that only go the crowd more incensed.
“You ought to be run out of town Talbotte,” yelled one resident. - More Recent Local News Headlines
-
Checkered past: Cab company’s permit suspended in New Albany after employee arrests
