LATEST Tybee Island Waters Claims Life of Columbus, GA. Tourist

Friday, 14 August 2009 21:35 |

by Lou Phelps AUG 15 NOON UPDATE -- A 33 year old African American visitor to Tybee Island from Columbus, GA. drown Friday evening in the water between 18th and 19th Streets, just north of the rock jetty. He was part of group of five friends and family members that included two adult men, two adult women and the 12 year old daughter of one of the women.

The group was swimming and walking on a sandbar north of the jetty which routinely appears during low tide in that area. One of the adult males was able to return to the beach without difficulty, but the two females and the child had to be rescued, and the other adult male, Homer T. Roberts, disappeared under the water, according to the group.

He was found this morning about 8:00 a.m. by the Savannah Coast Guard rescue team that had resumed the search for him at dawn, just 30 yards from where he disappeared.

One of the adult females and her child "elected to drive themselves to the hospital to be checked out last night,” according to Lt. Jonathan Hagan, the Saturday morning duty office for the Tybee Police Dept. who has been on the scene all morning. Both were released.

One woman was taken by ambulance to Memorial Hospital Friday night with a significant amount of salt water in her lungs, “and they were worried about her, but she was released and returned to Tybee about 3:00 a.m.,” according to Hagan. “The problem we normally have is south of the jetty,” explained Hagan, where a large sandbar normally forms. “But this was north of the rocks. They were able to walk out there a good ways. There is a small sandbar,” he said. “Roberts’ girlfriend said that he just disappeared.”

During the night, the Tybee Police Dept. Tybee Fire & Rescue Dept., the Coast Guard, the State DNR rangers and the Chatham County Marine Patrol all assisted in efforts to rescue the individuals and find Roberts.

According to Tybee Mayor Jacon Buelterman, "The ocean rescue, fire and police depts did a great job out there tonight. They are to be commended for saving multiple lives." It is the second drowning victim this year Tybee Island. According to Veda Lamarnichols, spokesperson for the Chatham County Metropolitan Police Dept., their department stayed on the scene last night until rescue efforts were called off. The Savannah Marine Patrol which assisted in the rescue got a second call regarding a possible drowning in the Ogeechee River area during the same time period, but that search was called off at 11:00 p.m. when it was determined that there was no victim, according to Lamarnichols.

In 2007, five people drown at Tybee, some in areas without lifeguards staffed in the beach towers, which led to increased staffing by the City. In September of that year, there was a late season event when a 43 year old man drown in heavy surf. At the time, City officials said that it was unclear if lifeguards would have been able to save him due to the circumstances.

“That’s often the case,” said Hagan. “Even good swimmers can get in trouble. I said to the Mayor that I think we should put up signs that say, ‘You can die swimming here.’” The City added more signs in the summer of 2008 after the five drownings of 2007 which explain the dangers of swimming in various areas. The first drowning this year was a local high school student, Rashad Leig Ling who drown in early April, reported to be young man's first trip to the beach. He was a ninth grader at Groves High School.