Two Boating Fatalities Occur Over Labor Day Weekend

NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reports that two boating fatalities occurred over the 2012 Labor Day weekend. 

One of the fatal accidents was on the Hiwassee River when two vessels collided, leaving one boat operator dead. The second was on Cherokee Lake that left one dead and three others injured. The accidents are under investigation. 

For the second straight year, rain across the state limited the normal volume of boaters over the weekend. TWRA officers recorded two boating under the influence (BUI) arrests and there were two other boating accidents reported.

The holiday period began Friday evening (Aug. 31) and continued through Monday (Sept. 3).

So far in 2012, there have been 21 boating fatalities. TWRA boating officers have made 133 BUI arrests, an increase of 21 over the same period from last year.
 

---TWRA---