Area man injured in boating accident

FORT MADISON – Area first responders were called to the Mississippi River at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday for a boater who had been injured north of the city.
A male subject was lifted from a boat at the Willow Patch river access and put in a Lee County EMS ambulance to await AirEvac to transport him to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics with severe injuries.
Details of the incident weren’t released by authorities. His condition will not be made public due to federal HIPAA regulations.

First responders originally resported to the marina, but were then redirected by LeeComm to Willow Patch, which is where the boat was able to get to land.
An officer on the scene was observed administering sobriety tests to the boat operator after the victim had been taken away in the helicopter.
Fort Madison Police, Lee County Sheriff’s deputies, Lee County EMS personnel, Fort Madison Fire & Rescue, and AirEvac personnel responded to the scene.
Fort Madison firefighters had the department rescue boat and were on the way to the scene as reports indicated the boat had become disabled, however the boaters who administered first aid to the victim on the boat, were able to get the boat moving.