Four Banner Elk Firefighters drown off N.C. Coast

[Guest]

http://www.wsoctv.com/video/8068208/detail.html

Firefighters in a western North Carolina mountain town are mourning the deaths of four of their compatriots in a boating accident. "We're pretty upset now," lamented the Banner Elk Volunteer Fire Department Captain, Fred Shrader, "but we're thankful for the two who survived."

Kevin Bell, 33; Nathan Lyerly, 22; Michael Shope, 21, and Archie McFadden, 20, all lost their lives as their boat overturned off the Atlantic North Carolina coast, while Paul Poore and Shawn Knight survived the ordeal.

During their March 15 trip, the men boarded an 18-foot vessel called "Wild Goose" off the coast of Holden Beach.

After the boat capsized, all six men decided to swim to shore. Poore and Knight made it to the shore and called 911 at about 11 p.m. to report the accident, the Coast Guard said.

After receiving the notification, the Coast Guard said its North Carolina sector deployed a 41-foot rescue boat, a C-130 airplane and a HH-60 helicopter in search of the other four missing men. Early on the morning of March 16, a Marine Corps helicopter joined the search. Local agencies were also involved in the search, the Coast Guard said.

According to the Coast Guard, the first body was discovered off of the Lockwood Folley Inlet at 7:34 a.m. The three other men were found within the next five minutes in the same area. Three of the four men were wearing lifejackets when recovered.

The men were then taken to the Blue Water Point Marina where they were met by a local coroner, the Coast Guard said.

The National Weather Service had issued a small craft advisory for the area the day the boat capsized, warning of winds up to 10 knots and waves of 1 to 2 feet. Water temperatures were listed at 58 degrees.

"Telling parents their children are deceased is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do," Captain Dean Lee, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Sector North Carolina, said.

"I hope they know we did everything in our power to save their loved ones."

Three of the deceased were relative newcomers to the Banner Elk Department who split their time at nearby Lees-McRae College. Kevin Bell had volunteered with Banner Elk for over ten years.

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My wife's family has a mountain house in Banner Elk. It is a wonderful town with wonderful people. I can only imagine that these Members Of The Service were as wonderful as the town that they protected.

A terrible loss for one department to endure.

[ex-commish 490]

My wife's family has a mountain house in Banner Elk.  It is a wonderful town with wonderful people.  I can only imagine that these Members Of The Service were as wonderful as the town that they protected.

A terrible loss for one department to endure.

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What a terrible tradegy. Not too much good news lately for the members of the fire service. May they all rest in peace.

Andy Mancusi

Chief

Hawthorne FD