Posted on 07/25/2013 5:17:15 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
A pair of hikers who had been rescued after getting lost in the fog and rain inside a Maine state park drowned on Tuesday night when their car plunged into the water off a boat launch as they were trying to leave.
Amy Stiner, 37, and Melissa Moyer, 38, were found dead inside a minivan in 20 feet of water about 175 feet from the boat ramp on the edge of Roque Bluffs State Park, the Washington County Sheriff's Department said. A dog, a pit bull mix who was with them, also drowned.
Officials say the women, who had just been returned to their vehicle by a game warden, took a wrong turn as they were driving away from the parking area.
"The end of the road becomes the boat landing and they just weren't familiar with it," Washington County Sheriff Donnie Smith told the Kennebec Journal. "It was foggy and rainy and they literally drove off the boat landing right into the water."(continued)
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
It’s Final Destination-ish.
I figured the “other speculation” was something to do with Thelma and Louise.
Most of their lakes are shallow glacier cut bird baths.
Here is a local news story on the incident with more information and a pic of where they ran off into the water. It must have been really bad weather not to see what they ran off into.
Man...when it’s your time there is no avoiding it! What an awful story
Hey all, let’s do a crazy thing and say a prayer for their souls and families instead of insulting them.
FWIW, this accident occurred on a boat ramp on the ocean.
Sebago Lake, Moosehead, Rangeley have some depth over 20’, unless you are talking only *mean depths.*
Same thing happened where I live. Was 4 or 5 Mexican men who did not know the area. People could hear them trying to get out but no one could get to them in time. Makes me sick to think about it. Horrible.
Hey, show me where I insulted them....
The Miracle of an ObamaPhone?
-PJ
A submerged car is perfectly survivable, but only if two conditions are true: you know what to do, and you can swim. At least that's what I read, because I try to keep my land vehicles out of water. If I were to own a water vehicle, I'd do my best to keep it away from land.
The power windows may be inoperative, as well as locks. You have about 5 to 10 minutes to find a tool to break the glass. In the worst case, you can push the windshield out with your feet. But there is a trick. You can do it only when there is a couple of inches of air near the roof (or whatever the highest point of the car is.) You cannot open the door - even if it is unlocked - prior to that; the water pressure makes it ridiculously impossible. Many people exhausted themselves like a fly that struggles against the glass; they consumed all the air, and died before the car even filled up. You have to wait. If you break the glass, the water will pour in and you will be disoriented; it's hard to swim out when the water rushes in. Once the pressure is equalized you can comfortably and safely make your exit and swim to the surface. If the water is cold it's a challenge too.
These are stressful situations, and that's why submariners and sailors in general are trained on simulators. It is somewhat distracting to be locked in a compartment as the water level rises, while you are calmly do what is necessary to save the situation. (In case of sailors, saving the situation and saving themselves may not be the same thing.)
They were still shaken from their previous ordeal and it dark and raining. That was a cruel thing to say. I almost drove off into a boat launch one dark night in unfamiliar territory myself- and I assure you I’m not stupid!
Yes, because of its sudden, hard to predict, and severe weather changes. Novice hikers frequently underestimate how severe the weather can be, and how much gear you need to survive in 40 degree condensing water with a 40 mph wind. Particularly if you started your hike in calm air at 80 degrees so shorts and a T shirt seemed like a good idea.
And even some experienced hikers think they can keep hiking in winter conditions where winds can be over 80 mph. They can't, and even crawling is next to impossible safely in open areas.
How sad. And the poor dog drowned as well. Sound as though they might be obomba voters and one is a blonde. Too bad they didn’t have the wherewithal to do what the woman rear ended and shoved off the bridge did.....push open her door/wrestle with the window, and swim to a pillar of rocks. She was most fortunate.
Very sad, especially because the one was pregnant. It occurs to me that they were probably already rattled, with having gotten lost and then being rescued from that, and thus were not as careful or as observant as they should have been. I wish they had admitted they were still freaked out from their “adventure,” and gotten someone to drive them home.
“I had one bottle of water left, a near thing. All I kept saying is that “we are all getting out of here.” I’ll remember that hike every time we prep for one now.”
I take my boys hiking in the mountains along the NY/NJ border; not as harsh a climate but you can be a few miles from help. When it gets too hot such hikes aren’t practical due to the amount of water we’d have to carry. On one hike a police sergeant told me to bring an “extra cell phone” due to rattlesnakes in the area (I guess if one couldn’t get reception another might?).
I remember when a family died at the same point where Susan “a black guy did it” Smith drowned her children by driving them into the water in SC. Somehow their vehicle rolled into the water. Sad; on top of that, they were visiting a memorial to those Smith children.
Then don't move until you know where you are going. I once had to dismount a horse and huddle both of us up in a makeshift shelter in a snowstorm for 3 days.
Wow, I mean it’s great we have access to these great places but it doesn’t mean we’re all experienced enough to deal with all of the risks. OTOH, I’d still rather keep the freedom to make those decisions rather than have the nanny state make the call. Tragedy happens and we’d like to minimize that but the freedom to make those decisions is paramount.
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