Some horrible news out of Cullman, Alabama.
Major League Fishing was stationed on Lewis Smith Lake for the Tackle Warehouse Invitational when tragedy struck on Day 2 of the event. The invitational is a part of an Tackle Warehouse Invitational series, which has already hosted exciting tournaments in Florida and South Carolina (Lake Hartwell) to kick things off.
The event taking place right now (or at least was this morning) is the third stop included in the Tackle Warehouse Invitational circuit. Pro anglers were set to compete for three straight days of fishing in a lake that’s plentiful with largemouth and spotted bass, but the tournament might be on hold – or even postponed – after a fatal crash happened out on the water.
On what was described as a foggy morning out on the lake, an incident occurred where at least two boats collided into one another. Not much information has been released about the wreck, but the MLF has confirmed that one of the event’s anglers that was competing – Flint Davis – was involved in the crash. It has been reported, but unconfirmed by Whiskey Riff, that Davis’ boat hit a guide boat who was stopped on the lake.
There’s also one death that is being reported, though its not clear if the deceased person was competing in the Major League Fishing event. The Cullman County Coroner confirmed that the incident was fatal, but the identity of the person who passed has not been revealed as of yet.
When the incident occurred in the early morning hours of April 16, local authorities and emergency personnel quickly responded to the scene. According to reports, they are still at the site of the tournament managing the situation, and the fishing boat that was involved in the crash – most likely by Flint Davis – was pulled out of the lake. News crews were able to capture footage of the boat, which showed extensive damage to the outboard motor.
After Major League Fishing confirmed the news of the fatal crash, not much else has been shared. Joe Opager, the Director of Communications with the MLF, provided this statement earlier:
“Out of respect for those involved, and to ensure the accuracy of all information, no further details will be released at this time. MLF is working closely with law enforcement and emergency officials. Additional updates will be provided as they are confirmed by the appropriate authorities. Our thoughts, prayers and deepest concern are with everyone affected by this tragic incident.”
It sounds like Major League Fishing is doing their best to make sure that they only provide the most accurate information concerning the very serious and tragic boat crash that took the life of one person – and seriously injured many others – earlier today. As was stated in the message above, the MLF is closely working with the Cullman County authorities to piece together what may have gone wrong during the fatal incident.
Major League Fishing’s latest statement came around 11:30 a.m. CST, so those looking for any updates might want to keep a close eye on the MLF’s official social media sites. Local news station WRBC 6 covered the story – with the limited information that is available – in the video linked below:
