SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH: A tragic incident occurred at a Utah reservoir on Sunday afternoon, August 13, resulting in the unfortunate death of a three-year-old boy who was struck by a boat's propeller.
Authorities confirmed that the toddler was declared dead at the scene and that he had been wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident.
Who was Walter Greer?
Walter Greer was a three-year-old boy from Salt Lake City, and he had been on a boat outing with his family when he fell into the water and was subsequently hit by the boat's propeller.
Tragedy confirmed by Utah State Parks Division
Authorities confirmed that the toddler was declared dead at the scene and that he had been wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident.
The Utah State Parks Division released a statement providing details of the incident, stating that after falling off the boat, Walter was struck by the propeller situated at the rear of the vessel.
Utah State Parks Division said in a statement, "Walter Greer, a three-year-old from Salt Lake City, was riding a boat with family members when he fell from the vessel. After falling in, Greer was then struck by the propeller at the rear of the boat".
Upon receiving the distress call, Utah State Parks law enforcement rangers swiftly responded to the location and retrieved Greer from the water. "Utah State Parks law enforcement rangers responded to the area and recovered Greer from the water, but he had already passed away. He was wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident," the statement said.
Various agencies "along with Utah State Parks, responding agencies include Utah State Bureau of Investigation, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Highway Patrol, North Summit Flyer District, University of Utah Health AirMed, and Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation".
"This incident remains under investigation at this time.The Utah Division of State Parks extends our condolences to the family and to all those grieving at this difficult time," the statement added.
Similar incident at Lake Pleasant
In a separate incident last week, a six-year-old girl, Sunni Wasden, met a similarly tragic fate when she suffered severe injuries from a boat's propeller driven by her mother.
The incident occurred at Lake Pleasant, Arizona, and resulted in Sunni's death. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office labeled the event as "tragic."
The boat had been carrying a group of 12 individuals from two families who were participating in wakeboarding and swimming activities.
