Oskaloosa Man Killed In Boating Incident At Rathbun Lake
MORAVIA – An Oskaloosa man was killed Saturday morning after the boat he was operating rolled at Rathbun Lake in Appanoose County.
Gregory Alan Williams, 50, of Oskaloosa, was killed when the boat he was operating overturned throwing him and a passenger into the water shortly after 11 .m. on Saturday where they were pulled from the water by occupants of another boat. He was later pronounced dead after being taken to Mercy Medical Center in Centerville. The passenger was not seriously injured.
The incident continues to be under investigation, but it is believed the 33-foot boat rolled after making a sharp turn. It is also being investigated to determine if rough water caused by windy conditions contributed to the incident. It was unknown as of late Saturday afternoon whether the passengers had life jackets on at the time of the incident.
The boat did sink after rolling and an effort was being made to locate and retrieve the vessel in approximately 40 feet of water early Saturday evening.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating the incident. The DNR was assisted on the scene Saturday by first responders from the Moravia Volunteer Fire Department, the Appanoose County Sheriff’s Department and the Iowa State Patrol.
Update – In an earlier version of this article, The Iowa DNR had identified the victim as Gary.