Texas Man Drowns at Townsend Wye

TOWNSEND, Tn. -- A Texas man's body was recovered from the Little River at the Townsend Wye in Great Smoky Mountains National Park today.

Dick Chijioke, 34, from Plano, Texas, was tubing with his family when his rental tube tipped and he fell into a 12-foot deep pool of water.

Eyewitnesses reported that he failed to resurface after he slipped out of the inner tube. Several people from his group, along with other visitors, attempted to find him underwater before the emergency personnel arrived.

The Park received a report about the accident at 11:22 a.m. from Blount County 911. The Blount County Special Operations Dive team was called in to assist with their underwater rescue gear and they located Chijioke at 12:26 p.m. near the area where he fell into the water.

Rural Metro paramedics tried to resuscitate him on the way to Blount Memorial Hospital, but he was pronounced dead by hospital officials at 1:05 p.m.

Other emergency crews assisting Park Rangers were the Townsend Police and Volunteer Fire Departments, Blount County Sheriff's Office, and Blount County Fire Department.

Published July 11, 2011, 5:15 p.m.

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