Two young men were killed during Memorial Day weekend in unrelated accidents, one drowning while swimming with friends, the other killed after being swept off his boat by the waves of a passing barge.

With the warmer weather, more people will be venturing into the water, and officials cannot stress enough the importance of taking precautions to insure everyone stays safe.

"It's fun, but it's dangerous," said Mason County Emergency Management Director Wayne Muse of summertime activities involving the water. "It just takes one false move."

According to information from the U.S. Coast Guard, in 2005 there were nearly 5,000 reported boating incidents resulting in nearly 3,500 injuries and almost 700 deaths. Among those who drowned, 87 percent were not wearing life jackets.

In the case of the Lewis County man who was boating with his family, he was the only one not wearing a life jacket. Danny Edington, 25, was with his wife, two children and a cousin Saturday when the waves from a passing barge washed them all off the boat.

Crew members from the barge witnessed what had happened and deployed a small craft. Four of the five individuals were pulled from the water. Edington's body was not discovered until Monday evening after two days of search efforts.

Muse, who assisted Lewis County Emergency Management during the ordeal, said he is only involved in boating or swimming accidents when there are search and rescue, or search and recovery efforts.

Muse said the Ohio River is a particularly dangerous place for swimmers, and poses a risk for those boating as well.

"It looks pretty docile (at times)," said Muse of the river. "But there's a strong current."

Debris in the river is not always evident and could be lingering beneath the surface of the waters. And those boating should remain a safe distance from any other boats on the river.

Muse said boaters should take a class to learn how to safely enjoy the activity. He said anyone can purchase a boat and go straight out into the water.

"That's good, and bad," he said                                                                                              
While it may be convenient for some, Muse said it could mean inexperienced boaters are out on the water.

In Bracken County Saturday night, a 19-year-old Pendleton County man, Nicholas Walker, drowned while swimming with friends in the North Fork of the Licking River.

According to officials, he and his friends were swimming when he went under water, and they suddenly missed him. Walker was unresponsive when his body was recovered.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there were more than 3,300 fatal drownings in the U.S. in 2004, not including the fatalities from boating-related incidents. In the cases of nonfatal drownings, brain damage may occur.

Muse provided some tips for those swimming or boating on how to stay safe. Most of all, Muse said those engaging in these activities should use common sense.

When boating, life jackets should be worn. Edington was reportedly the only one on the boat not to wear a life jacket. Also, inexperienced swimmers should use some kind of personal floatation device while in the water.

Muse said alcohol should be avoided when boating or swimming, as it impairs judgment, balance, coordination and affects swimming and diving skills. According to the CDC, alcohol use is involved in 25 to 50 percent of adolescent and adult deaths associated with water recreation. In a pool, the CDC recommends adults be present to monitor children in a pool, and have a fence to keep children out of the pool unless an adult is with them. Among children 1 to 4 years old, drownings occur in residential swimming pools most frequently. Most of these children were last seen in the home, had been out of sight less than 5 minutes and were in the care of one or both parents at the time.

While accidents can happen, knowing the risk and taking steps to improve safety can lessen the chance of a tragedy occurring.

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