A Duck Hunting Tragedy

[Quackcephus]

I saw this on another site & that I'd share it here...

Three duck hunters rescued from Mantua Creek, a fourth is missing

by South Jersey News Online
Saturday November 15, 2008, 8:16 PM
By John Barna
jbarna@sjnewsco.com


PAULSBORO -- A duck hunter was missing late Saturday might after the boat he and three others were in capsized in the Mantua Creek about the time a
fast-moving rainstorm passed through the region.

The man -- wearing camouflage clothing but no life jacket -- and his colleagues fell into the creek between the Interstate 295 and Broad Street bridges about 5 p.m.

Three hunters were "reported to be in the water for an hour before someone spotted them," said U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Christopher McLaughlin.

The search for the missing man at one point involved dive teams from Malaga and other locations, at least three boats and two helicopters. The Coast Guard and the New Jersey State Police continued their search late Saturday night.

Authorities did not release the missing 23-year-old hunter's name, but those who gathered near the rain-swollen creek while a search was conducted indicated he was a borough resident who was familiar with the marshes of Mantua Creek that form the border between the borough and West Deptford Township.

McLaughlin said the four had gone out duck hunting. Saturday was the first day of the second part of the state's split duck hunting season.

A strong rainstorm passed through the Paulsboro-West Deptford area about the time the boat capsized, according to Valerie Meola, meteorologist for the National Weather Service station in Westhampton Township.

"About 11(minutes) after 5, you could see a line of storms going through, past Tinincum and across Gibbstown," Meola said.

"By 20 after, it had passed," she said.

The Coast Guard was notified to assist in the search at about 7:10 p.m. At about 8 p.m., a helicopter was visible over the Mantua Creek west of the Broad Street bridge. The helicopter departed after approximately 20 minutes, reportedly because of bad weather.

There were two boats visible from I-295 in the Mantua Creek just west of the interstate. A state police boat was in the water near Ziggy¹s Boat Yard on Commerce Street.

McLaughlin identified the helicopter as originating from the Philadelphia Police Department.

McLaughlin said a helicopter from the Coast Guard's Atlantic City station was due out late Saturday night to assist.

By mid-evening, approximately 50 people had gathered at the intersection of Commerce and Broad streets -- a block from the creek.

One bystander said he was duck hunting in the Bridgeport area at about 4:45 p.m. when the storm struck.

"When I got in (to shore), I was soaked," said the man, who declined to give his name.

Another 20 who had identified themselves to fire police as family members of the missing boater had gathered outside a pallet company that borders the creek. Most were visibly distraught as they passed a line manned by fire police who were separating them from others at the scene.

Broad Street between Commerce Street here and Paradise Road in West Deptford Township was closed for most of Saturday evening.

[Quailhunter]

Prayers to the family of the missing hunter.