 | Members of the Loudoun and Fairfax County Rescue Squad staged search and rescue areas at the Mt. Hope Baptist Church. Helicopters, boats and divers were each used in the search. Times-Mirror Staff Photo/John L. Geddie |
Update: 3:05 p.m.
The body of the 49-year-old Ashburn man was recovered just before noon today, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
The victim, Anthony M. DiGiovanna, was canoeing with his son and a dog at around 2:30 p.m. Sunday when the boat capsized.
The 7-year-old boy, taken to the hospital as a precaution, was released today.
DiGiovanna was not wearing a life jacket.
Update: 12:27 p.m.
A 7-year-old boy was rescued and a 49-year-old man from Ashburn is missing after a canoe-style boat capsized on Beaverdam Creek Reservoir near Broadlands on Sunday.
According to Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Kraig Troxell, the boy was using a life preserver and was saved by people on shore. The father was not wearing a life preserver, and went under. It is not known at the time whether the man couldn’t swim or if he had some kind of medical condition, Troxell said.
An investigation is still underway as Loudoun Fire Rescue searches for the man.
Original story
Loudoun County Fire and Rescue personnel are on the scene at the Beaverdam Creek Reservoir near Broadlands where a boat capsized. Additional crew from Fairfax are assisting in the search.
A child was rescued from the water by witnesses and Sheriff’s Office divers were gearing up to search for others, according to authorities on scene.
The boat capsized about 2:45 p.m., however, authorities have not yet said what caused it to overturn.
A witness to the scene said there was at least one adult on the boat in addition to the child who was pulled from the water, according to Loudoun Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Andy Keller.
Following the incident, rescue crews with boats and helicopters searched the water for survivors.
Rescue crews are staged near the water at Mt. Hope Baptist Church.
Recovery teams remain at the scene on Nov. 28 according to a release from the Sheriff’s Office
This is a developing story. Check back to loudountimes.com for more information as it becomes available.
From the moderator:
Comments for this story are now closed. If you would like to comment on this story, please submit a Letter to the Editor at jgeddie@timespapers.com.
To Very Curious:
You are a cold person. Do you think a your comments would make this family feel any better? Go climb back into your hole and learn to proof read.. idiot!!
@very curious - please explain how you can help a “familiar”. I realize you were attempting to be cute and sarcastic as you slyly attacked all things religious, but do tell us what a “familiar” is. Now we’re all curious just like you…
My prayers go out to the family for their tragic loss. How is the boy doing and did the dog survive?
“Idiots everywhere”—The only idiot around you is the person you see staring back at you in the mirror. I pray for mean-spirited people like you who make such ignorant comments in such an inappropriate place. What a sad life you must live. Grow up, get a life and keep your immature, negative comments to yourself.
” Idiots Everywhere ” <<<<< you are proof of that!
Our friend was the person who jumped in to save the little boy, he is a HERO!!!! Thoughts and prayers for the family on their loss.
The father’s body has been recovered. He did not make it out of the water. This is very sad. Prayers are needed for the family.
mary…the quality of writing here and in other stories and absence of any professional editing is ABYSMAL!!!! will someone take note and pretend at least to CARE? mistakes galore.
May want to proof read this again…..
It is not known at the time whether the man couldn’t swim or if he had some king of medical condition.
The guys who swam out are heros!no doubt about it.
Brad Oddenheimer and George Lewis are the two witnesses that jumped into the reservoir and saved the child. The water was ice cold. They were able to save the child because he had a life jacket on and was able to help paddle to shore. They were not able to save the father because he was too far out in freezing water. They are having a very difficult time with this. Our prayers are with the DiGiovanna family.
I heard that they found the body. Can someone verify if this is true or not?
The boat capsized, the witness jumped in water and grabbed little boy, told the father, who couldn’t swim, to float on his back and he’d be back for him. When he returned for the dad, he couldn’t be found. Prayers for the DiGiovanni family and thank you to the brave young man that jumped in with no hesitation and saved a little boys life.
No word yet. They were still looking as of late last night.
Any word on the missing man?
There was a photographer and a family there right when it happened who dialed 911 and got the son to swim to shore. So while the two boys mentioned in the comments helped, the story is being shaped by commenters who were not there.
We happened to be in the ER with our daughter at Loudoun Hospital when they were brought in…very sad and tragic. We will keep the family in our prayers.
Damn. So sad. I hope the boy is able to recover.
It’s shallow near the shore but drops off significantly in some parts. The area they think he went missing in is between 10-20 feet.
What happened? Isn’t that reservoir like 5 ft deep?
The missing man’s name is Tony DiGiovanna. His son Michael was rescued, and his mother, Deanna, was with him at Inova Loudoun hospital this afternoon. He apparently is okay. The couple have three other children. Friends have come alongside to help, and many people have the family in their prayers.
Prayers go out to the family. The man that jumped in and saved the boy truly is a hero. From what I heard they still hadn’t found the father.
We also know this family and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this time.
Did they recover?
I know the family this happend too, they are family friends, and they are in our prayers.
I have a friend of a friend who knows a friend of this family
that was my neighbors dad…... please pray for their family tonight.
ok thank you
Brad Odenheimer is a hero for rescuing the little boy. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and all others involved.
No, it’s not the same family. My heart goes out to them.
Please tell me this wasn’t the family I saw back in the summer who didn’t have pfd’s on, including the kid….Asian family, young boy?
My friend was the witness who jumped in the water to rescue the son. Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers.
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