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Jacksonville man dies in boating accident
December 17, 2007
Contact: Karen Parker, 386-758-0525
A Jacksonville man died in a boating accident Sunday,
according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
(FWC).
Fred Francis Odom, 57, was found by fishermen who were
fishing near Clapboard Creek Bridge off the St. Johns River. The
fishermen called 9-1-1, and the victim’s body was recovered by the
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO), who was first on the scene.
Odom reportedly was attempting to secure his commercial
fishing vessel, a 1967 31-foot Sea Skiff named “Dixie Mama,” which had
broken free from its anchor. According to FWC investigator Kevin Larson,
an 8-foot dinghy was found adrift nearby.
“It appears that this tragedy was an accidental drowning
and emphasizes the importance of wearing a life jacket when on the
water,” Larson said.
Odom was not wearing a life jacket.
FWC continues to investigate the accident.
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