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Heavy Currents of ‘Bathtub’ Section of Wilson Creek Claim Another Life on Monday Evening

By Jesse Wood

Sept. 3, 2013. Wilson Creek claimed another life as heavy currents overtook a 21-year-old Guatemalan man, who was visiting family, on Monday evening, according to Lenoir News-Topic, which was the first to report on the drowning.

The Guatemalan man was swimming in the section of Wilson Creek known as “the bathtub.” This is the same area that 48-year-old Juan Alberdi of Huntersville and 10-year-old Delilah Lovett of Charlotte were swept away just over a month ago.

Immediately following the late July incident, the U.S. Forest Service’s National Forests in North Carolina issued an advisory, discouraging folks from swimming in any creeks, streams or rivers until water levels receded. 

As for the most recent incident, authorities didn’t release the name of the individual who died because his immediate family was in Guatemala and hadn’t yet been notified.

According to the Lenoir News-Topic, “The man was not wearing a life jacket. People aren’t required to wear those in Wilson Creek, but Collettsville Fire and Rescue has strongly encouraged them after a spate of rescues this summer.

“We’ve had a lot of water this year,” Collettsville Fire and Rescue Capt. Larry Price told the newspaper. “The water has stayed higher more than in past years.”

See the entire Lenoir News-Topic article here.