BY PEPPER FISHER
FORKS – A father and his young son are dead after the drift boat they were in overturned in the Bogachiel River Thursday southwest of Forks, and the search was still on this morning for a third person from that boat who also went into the water.
The 911 call came in just after noon Thursday. The caller, a 33-year old Port Orchard resident, reported he had been on the boat when it flipped. He was able to stabilize himself by holding onto a tree so he could call 911.
The caller stated there were still two adults and one child in the frigid, rushing water. A Clallam County Sheriff’s Deputy responded quickly and coordinated rescue efforts with multiple agencies.
Deputies learned 35-year-old Christian Akers from Sequim, his 7-year-old son Wyatt Akers, and 39-year-old Alfonso Graham from Port Orchard were still missing and in the river. Rescue personnel located Christian and his son, and despite lifesaving measures they were declared deceased.
Clallam County Sheriff Brian King told KONP Friday morning that Alfonso Graham had not yet been located as search efforts continued.
“Currently we have search and rescue responding to the area, Sheriff’s Office search and rescue. Our deputies worked late into the evening and overnight. So, we’re not only trying to locate one of the boaters, but we’re trying to recover the boat as well. So that’s all ongoing.”
King said the boat had been located but was swamped and in swift water.
We asked what he could tell us how the accident happened.
“It appears, as the best we can tell, is that, just the characteristics of the river where they were at, it looks like they were pushed into the bank and some debris in the boat overturned, based on the current. And, no life jackets. But we’ll continue to try to examine that. But, based on the loss of life, it’s going to be difficult to put together exactly what occurred to allow the boat to overturn.”