Last Sunday, in fair weather, Arthur Furtney, 88, and his companion Paul Brown set off in Furtney’s 23-foot center console to transit Bogue Inlet, which cuts between Bogue Sound, North Carolina and the Atlantic Ocean.
The Inlet is known to be swept by strong currents, and it appears that the 23-foot was caught in choppy waves and flipped throwing both men into the water.
Furtney did not survive the accident and drowned. Brown was able to stay afloat and swam to the inlet’s Buoy #1 where he was able to hang on until help arrived.
Help did arrive in the person of Agit Patel who is the skipper of the local tour boat Shanti Nautical Expeditions. Patel was able to bring Furtney’s body aboard and then found Brown where he was still clinging to the buoy.
Furtney’s body was transferred to a local Coast Guard boat and once ashore he was pronounced dead by the Emeral Island Fire Department. Brown was brough ashore aboard Shanti Nautical Excursions and was reported in stable condition.
Investigators noted that the inlet was very rough that day so having the boat flip was a real possibility. Plus, neither of the men was wearing a life jacket.
