A 35-year-old man and his 7-year-old son have died after their boat overturned in a Washington state river. The Clallam County Sheriff's Office said that deputies responded to a report on Oct. 30, just after 12 p.m. local time, that a boat capsized in the Bogachiel River.
The emergency call to authorities was made by another person from the boat, who survived by clinging onto a tree, the sheriff’s office said. The caller reported that there were two adults and a child in the water.
Authorities located 35-year-old Christian Akers of Sequim and his 7-year-old son Wyatt. Both of them were pronounced deceased despite life-saving efforts. Another person from the boat, Alphonso Graham, 39, of Port Orchard, remains missing, and the search for him remains ongoing, according to authorities.
“The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office extends our deepest condolences to the friends and family affected by this tragedy,” the department said. On Monday, Nov. 3, the sheriff’s office said in an update that the Akers’ dog, which was initially lost in the boating accident, was spotted by a Forks resident. The dog was later safely recovered and returned to the Akers family.
At the time of that update, Graham had not been located, the sheriff’s office said. The search, which involved multiple agencies and drones, was suspended due to high water volume and low visibility. Authorities added that they will reevaluate future search attempts when conditions improve. “He’s just an amazing guy, he’s worth more effort than has been put into this search,” Axel Graham said of his brother Alphonse, according to ABC affiliate KOMO. “There’s been no found body, no confirmation of mortality or anything like that, he’s just someone who’s worth it in every sense of the word.”
An obituary noted that Christian went to Georgia Southern University and served in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear electronics technician. “Fishing was his lifelong passion, matched only by his love for the outdoors and for Georgia Bulldogs football,” according to the tribute.“Christian loved his family deeply,” the obituary later read. “He survived by his devoted wife, Daylee Joers Akers, and took great joy in sharing his love of the outdoors with his sons, Wyatt and Aiden, who shared his curiosity, courage, and bright spirit.”
Clallam County Sheriff's Office on FB
DEPUTIES RESPOND TO OVERTURNED BOAT IN BOGACHIEL RIVER
On October 30th at about 12:07 p.m., Clallam County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of an overturned boat in the Bogachiel River, south of milepost 4 off State Route 101, southwest of Forks.
The caller, a 33-year-old Port Orchard resident, was able to cling to a tree and call 911 after the boat flipped. He reported that two adults and one child were still in the water.
A Deputy arrived quickly and coordinated a multi-agency rescue effort that included:
Fire Districts 1 & 6
Forks Ambulance
La Push Police Department
La Push Department of Fish and Wildlife
U.S. Coast Guard
National Park Service
Rescue personnel located 35-year-old Christian Akers of Sequim and his 7-year-old son, Wyatt Akers, but sadly, both were pronounced deceased despite lifesaving efforts. 39-year-old Alphonso Graham of Port Orchard remains missing, and search efforts are ongoing.
The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office extends our deepest condolences to the friends and family affected by this tragedy.
We also share a heartfelt thank you to all first responders for their tireless efforts as the search for Mr. Graham continues.
CLALLAM COUNTY, Wash. — The bodies of a father and his young son have been recovered after a boating accident while fishing on the Bogochiel River near Forks. The two were fishing with two others on October 30 when their boat overturned and all four ended up in the water. One man survived, but another man remains missing.
Emergency crews have been searching the water for about a week now, but have been forced to suspend search efforts due to heavy rain and low visibility.Axel Graham has been searching the Bogochiel River for any signs of his brother, Alfonso Graham, 39, for days.
“He’s just an amazing guy, he’s worth more effort than has been put into this search,” Axel Graham said. “There’s been no found body, no confirmation of mortality or anything like that, he’s just someone who’s worth it in every sense of the word.”
