A sudden storm system that moved through the Twin Lakes Area on Saturday afternoon caused a tubing accident on Norfork Lake, leaving a 14-year-old injured. The storm brought high winds, downed trees, and widespread power outages across the region.
The Baxter County Sheriff’s Office reported that emergency crews responded to the Panther Bay Boat Launch shortly after 2 p.m. after receiving a call about a possible near-drowning involving a head injury. According to investigators, 21-year-old Kolby Wall of Jonesboro and a 14-year-old juvenile were being pulled on a tube behind a boat when the storm rapidly developed.
Both riders were thrown from the tube due to high winds and wakes from other boats. Wall told investigators that the two did not collide after being ejected into the water. The boat’s driver, Zack Wall, 43, also of Jonesboro, stated that the strong winds made it difficult for him to maneuver the boat back to the riders.
Fortunately, both individuals were wearing life jackets at the time. The 14-year-old was able to walk to an ambulance on his own and was transported to Baxter Health for treatment of his injuries. No information on his current condition was immediately available.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission was notified of the incident, and the report was subsequently forwarded to Game and Fish officers as well as U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rangers for review.
This accident occurred as the region was under severe weather conditions, emphasizing the need for boat operators to exercise extreme caution during rapidly changing weather.