An Agassiz boater is advocating for better safety awareness for boaters and swimmers on Harrison Lake after rescuing five people from nearly drowning on Sunday, July 25.

According to James Hogg, two females fell off their tubes while being towed by a pontoon boat in the Echo Island area. Hogg said the three males in the boat jumped in after them after they failed to start the motor to go back for them.

91裸聊视频淔ive of them ended up in the water with four life jackets and the boat at least half a mile away,91裸聊视频� Hogg recalled. 91裸聊视频淚 didn91裸聊视频檛 think the (two groups) were even together. I (saw them) from a distance, and something didn91裸聊视频檛 look right.91裸聊视频�

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By the time Hogg made it over to the group, one female was unconscious.

91裸聊视频淲e dragged her aboard the boat, and the two girls were pretty close to the end,91裸聊视频� Hogg said. 91裸聊视频淭he two girls were blue. The guys I guess weren91裸聊视频檛 in the water as long, so they weren91裸聊视频檛 as bad off, but if another 10 minutes went by, they would have all been gone. 10 minutes, I think, would have been the difference between looking for some bodies today or not.91裸聊视频�

The group told Hogg at least three boats passed close by and didn91裸聊视频檛 even notice them; they estimated they91裸聊视频檇 been in the water for 45 minutes. When Hogg came across the group, they looked to him to be okay and were not signalling that they were in distress; one of the males, who happened to be a lifeguard, ultimately swam up to Hogg91裸聊视频檚 boat to get their attention.

91裸聊视频淭hat means they were at the point where I don91裸聊视频檛 think they even had the strength to even wave to me,91裸聊视频� he added.

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There were four life jackets in the boat for five people, according to Hogg. The group told Hogg they called for a tow boat but hadn91裸聊视频檛 called for a high-speed boat to rescue their friends. Hogg hadn91裸聊视频檛 examined the pontoon boat but speculated that in the urgency to save their friends, someone had flooded the engine trying to get it started again.

91裸聊视频淭hey made all kinds of mistakes to get in that situation to start with,91裸聊视频� Hogg said. 91裸聊视频淚t was a close call for those people. They were pretty thankful that we came along. I don91裸聊视频檛 know if the people aboard the boat realized how close they were. In their defense, they probably dind91裸聊视频檛 know how cold that lake is.91裸聊视频�

Hogg urged local boat rental companies and boat owners to stress safety precautions to passengers and operators before leaving the dock or shore.

adam.louis@ ahobserver.com
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