NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WDRB) -- The search for a man swept away in the Ohio River after his boat capsized is now being called a recovery effort.
Donald Allen Watson, 26, and his friend, 28-year-old Levell Washington, were on the boat Watson recently bought Monday night when it capsized around 6:30 p.m., Indiana Department of Natural Resources officials say.
Officials say it was the first time Watson had taken the boat out on the Ohio River. Sometime around 6 p.m., officials say the boat entered a restricted area past the Second Street Bridge. Indiana Conservation Officer Jim Schreck said Watson was operating the boat when something went wrong with the motor.
Donald Watson. Image credit: family photo.
Watson and Washington jumped overboard and were swept through the gates of the McAlpine Locks and Dam. Firefighters from Clarksville rescued Washington after he called for help on his cellphone while in the water.
"His phone, he held on to it, stuck it in his pocket," Schreck said. "As they were sucked through the dam, miraculously, his phone still worked. It was soaked. It still works to this day, actually. He made another call as he was floating in the water, called 911 again and summoned help. Rescuers came and got him out."
Rescuers said the two men initially weren’t wearing life jackets but managed to get them on just before the boat crashed.
Unfortunately, the life jackets were ripped off when the men were sucked through the locks, but Washington was able to cling to his.
Schreck said that may have saved his life.
View from a search boat searching the Ohio River for signs of a man who was swept away when his boat capsized near the McAlpine Locks and Dam on July 1, 2019.
"It’s nothing short of miraculous," he said.
"It's a poignant reminder to put them on with the holiday weekend coming up and folks wanting to get out on the water. It's a tragedy, but at the same time, it's a lesson to be learned by everyone ... By his own admission — we talked to (Washington) — he wouldn't be here today if he didn't put that life jacket on."
Tuesday’s search efforts began early with plans to continue until nightfall.
“We started downstream near Horseshoe Casino in Harrison County and kind of worked our way up,” Schreck said. "Crews are searching both sides of the banks, doing surface searches, sonar, seeing if we can locate him."
Although DNR officials are not giving up yet, they say their rescue efforts could turn into a recovery mission. It’s unclear how long search and rescue teams will continue looking, but there's still hope.
"We’ve had them go weeks. We’ve had them go days. We’ve had them go an hour," Schreck said. "We’re hoping for the best, but we're here to hopefully bring closure to the family."
Police and rescue crews from Clarksville, New Albany, Jeffersonville and Louisville are taking part in the search, which will continue until nightfall. Current conditions on the river won't allow dive teams to join the search.
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