Ala. man dies after boat hits low-hanging power line

Ala. man dies after boat hits low-hanging power line

DECATUR, Ala. (AP) — The Coast Guard says the Tennessee River was closed to traffic before a bass boat struck a downed utility line, killing an Alabama man, but the Coast Guard had no vessel on hand to warn boaters.

The Coast Guard said today it broadcast a radio warning nearly two hours before the deadly accident Tuesday afternoon.

However, the coroner says the boat carrying 65-year-old Anthony Szozda of Athens didn’t have the type of radio used by the Coast Guard.

Chunn says small boats rarely have such radios, making it impossible to receive marine warnings.

The power line that the boat struck is owned by Tennessee Valley Authority, which was doing maintenance work. TVA says it had two boats near the scene.

Szozda died when the power line struck him.