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.
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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
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