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HAMILTON TWP. — An investigation continued today, June 23 into drowning of a Goshen Twp. man Sunday afternoon, June 22 after he tried to help two canoers trapped by a tree in the Little Miami River.

Jim Shaw, 41, was kayaking with his wife and three children around 1:30 p.m. when he spotted brothers Shawn Dienger, 18, and Stephen Dienger, 23, both of Loveland, clinging to their capsized canoe in an area of the river near Maineville, said John Wisse, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Watercraft.

"The canoe was caught in a 'strainer,' " said Wisse, "It's a navigational hazard that is usually caused by an obstruction on the water."

According to the ODNR, the Division of Watercraft reported that the group moved their boats to the river to the safety of the river bank. At that time, Shaw removed his life jacket and swam out to help the brothers.

The canoe broke free of the obstruction, sweeping all three men down the river. The brothers managed to get to the shore, but Shaw got trapped.

"It appears that the victim got tangled in an anchor line attached to the canoe," said Wisse. "As a result, he was repeatedly pulled beneath the water."

Shaw was pronounced dead at the scene after water rescue crews from Hamilton Twp. recovered his body from the river about 3:10 p.m., said Doyle Burke, the chief investigator for the Warren County Coroner's Office.

National Weather Service reports indicated that there were no unusual conditions such as high water or currents on the Little Miami River at the time of the accident.

This was the third incident in that stretch of river in June. A 6-year-old was pulled from the Little Miami in Hamilton Twp. on June 18. The child was taken to the hospital and has fully recovered. On June 5, Woody Bullock, 87, fell into the water while trimming trees near his Symmes Twp. home. His body was recovered two days later about 100 feet downstream.

State officials and local water-related businesses said that these events are an unfortunate coincidence, and that the Little Miami River does not pose a risk to boaters.

Gary Morgan, co-owner of Morgan's Canoe and Outdoor Center in Oregonia, said that the Little Miami is classified as a Class 1 river.

"This means that the water level is generally low when it comes to whitewater," Morgan said. "There was no indication of high water, and conditions (Sunday) were totally appropriate for boating activities."

The ODNR also said that river conditions didn't seem to play a role in the accident.

"This is an unusual type of boating fatality," Wisse said.

The official statement released by the department reported that the last boating-related fatality on the Little Miami River occurred in Warren County on June 22, 2003 when a 30-year old man drowned after the canoe in which he was a passenger struck a rock strainer and capsized.

Staying safe on the water

Boating is a safe and popular recreation activity. State and local officials, however, advise all boaters to take some form of water or boating safety class before getting into the water.

"Everyone born on or after January 1, 1982 is required to show proof of a completed boater safety course in order to operate a boat with at least a 10-horsepower engine," said Wisse. "And, even though there is no similar law for non-motorized watercrafts, we strongly recommend all boaters to take some form of safety class."

Morgan, a certified instructor with the American Canoe Association, said that there are a couple of simple tips that people can follow to stay safe in the water.

"There are classes that are offered by the Sierra Club and the American Canoe Association," he said. In addition to taking a class, boaters should:

• Always wear a life jacket when in a boat

• Know the river they're boating on, and, if possible, have a guide help you out

• Do not "drink and boat." Morgan said that he and his staff are working with state officials to change beliefs that boating and alcohol are a natural combination.

"It's not OK, it's not safe and it's against the law," he said.