Friday, June 08, 2007

Prayers Please ....

Further Update: They haven't found Joshua yet. Here is an updated story from Channel 7 news in Greenville. Please continue to pray for the Dorchak family:

A three year old boy and the sailboat he was on with his father are still missing on Lake Jocassee this afternoon. Search efforts continue, with searchers using underwater sonar to locate the boat and victim.

James Dorchak of Greer was with his son, Joshua, on the sailboat his son called "Pooh Bear" yesterday afternoon when the boat capsized and went underwater. Rescue workers were able to rescue James, but Joshua's lifejacket became tangled up in the boat's rigging, dragging him under. The incident took place about 2:00pm on Friday.

A family spokesman told News Channel 7 this afternoon that James and Joshua sailed on "Pooh Bear" almost weekly, and all was fine until the weather turned bad. James Dorchak served in the Navy and was an experienced sailor and swimmer. The family is setting up a memorial fund in Joshua's name at Greer State Bank.

Oconee County Rescue Squads and Dive Team joined the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources in the search, and a crew from the sheriff's office in Charleston is on scene with the with sonar equipment.

Rodney Burdette of the Oconee County Emergency Management Agency says they're not exactly sure, but believe the boat flipped over because of high winds due to a storm moving through at the time of the accident. Burdette says because of the lake's location, storms form quickly, and can overwhelm even experience boaters.

Officials say the water in the area where the boat sank is 100 feet deep with a slope that goes down to 400 feet, making the search effort difficult.

Update: No news on the 3-year-old boy. The divers are being pulled from the water due to thunder storms. Continue to pray for the family. They are a good family. Mother is pregnant. A priest has come and they are surrounded by friends.

We were supposed to go to the SC/GA Catholic homeschoolers jamboree campout out at Devils Fork State Park this weekend. We cancelled at the last moment.

There is an ongoing crisis there...From the local news in Greenville:

OCONEE COUNTY, S.C.-- A 3-year-old boy went missing in a lake on the Oconee-Pickens County line after a boat he and his father were in overturned.


Investigators said around 2 p.m. Friday a father and son launched their sailboat near Devil's Fork Landing on Lake Jocassee. While sailing, a gust of wind flipped the boat over.


Both the father and the son were wearing life jackets. The boy's life jacket got caught on the boat riggings, investigators said.


The father frantically continued looking for his son while his boat sank, according to investigators.


Dive teams and other rescue crews were called to the scene and were searching for the missing boy.

We have talked to a couple people up there and the seach for the boy is ongoing. We know the family. Please pray for them.

Oremus pro invicem!

1 comment:

Rachel said...

We were stunned to witness the tragic events of June 8 while our family was canoeing on Lake Jocassee. Everyone is heartbroken at the loss of Joshua. There are no words to adequately express our sympathy for the devastation and profound loss you must be feeling. We are praying for the family.

http://joshua-dorchak.blogspot.com/