On a warm day Friday, Constantin Pascal decided to take his son to Lake Hartwell on the South Carolina border for some outdoor fun.
While pulling his child on a tube from a boat, the 45-year-old from Lawrenceville noticed the boy’s life jacket was unfastened. Without hesitation, he jumped in the water without his own life vest.
The boy was eventually rescued, but Pascal did not resurface. An extensive search ensued, and he was found dead Saturday evening.
It was a devastating reminder of the risks for those who plan to flock to the nearest body of water this summer as temperatures continue to rise. Georgia is among the top states for drownings over the past several years.
“It only takes a few seconds of letting your guard down to turn a fun day at the lake into a tragic one,” Georgia Department of Natural Resources spokesman Mark McKinnon told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Georgia had the fourth-most drowning deaths (159) in the United States last year, according to an online database run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About half of those unintentional drownings occurred in natural bodies of water, the DNR said, which does not include bathtubs or pools.
Florida had the highest number of drownings with more than 500, while Rhode Island and South Dakota were tied for the lowest with 15, the data shows.
Pascal, whose family declined to comment when reached Tuesday, was one of two people who drowned over the weekend in North Georgia. The other was a 12-year-old boy who died in Habersham County.
Channel 2 Action News
Channel 2 Action News
Brian Ramirez was playing in a designated swimming area with his buddies at Lake Russell on Saturday when he disappeared from view. Authorities got there quickly and tried to save him, but it was too late.
Ramirez, who was not wearing a life vest, was found dead after being underwater for 20 minutes.
In 2022, more than 72% of all drowning victims in Georgia were men, data shows, and about 16% were under the age of 14. McKinnon urged parents and guardians to keep their eyes on small children at all times.
“Always know where they are when around water,” he wrote in safety tips provided by the department. “Don’t assume someone else is watching them!”
Among the DNR’s responsibilities is monitoring Lake Lanier, where six people drowned last year.
Jose Camarillo, 20, was swimming at the Margaritaville beach during Memorial Day weekend in 2022 when he went underwater. The next month, three others died while swimming or boating at the lake, which encompasses nearly 60 square miles of water and nearly 700 miles of shoreline.
Of those drowning victims, none were wearing life jackets, which officials said was essentially the “only common denominator.”
Following those incidents, Margaritaville at Lanier Islands announced that its popular beach at LandShark Landing would be inaccessible to swimmers due to safety concerns.
Swimming or boating while intoxicated is also a major problem, officials said. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, alcohol use is involved in roughly a third of recreational boating fatalities. Georgia has already seen 97 BUIs this year after 305 were reported in 2022, the DNR said.
To help prevent drowning incidents, officials are asking the public to remember the acronym SPLASH, which stands for supervision, prevention, life jackets, arms length, swim lessons, and have a water safety plan.
“People need to be super vigilant when it comes to putting safety first when they are in and around the water,” McKinnon added. “Never cut corners or disregard safe practices.”
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
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