September 9, 2024 11:40 a.m. 

Covering coastal Douglas County:

Deputies with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office investigated two boating accidents on Thursday, with one of them resulting in a fatality.

Lieutenant Brad O’Dell said at approximately 2:00 p.m. dispatchers received information about a boating accident in Winchester Bay. O’Dell said the United States Coast Guard had already been activated and was responding to the incident.

As deputies were responding, the Coast Guard advised that they had located a separate overturned boat with subjects in the water. USCG personnel were able to rescue two subjects from the water, but a third individual was outstanding.

O’Dell said deputies learned that 63-year-old James McKeane of Medford had been fishing with his son, 36-year-old Kenneth McKeane of Central Pont and a neighbor, 35-year-old Anthony Knight of Medford. After a few hours of ocean fishing, James McKeane was returning to the dock due to weather conditions in his 2020 Kingfisher boat. While progressing into the bay, a large wave crashed into the left side of the boat, causing it to roll over. All three occupants went into the water without life jackets. The vessel eventually capsized.

O’Dell said James McKeane and Knight were rescued by USCG personnel. Lifesaving efforts were initiated on Knight, who was unconscious. Both were transported to Lower Umpqua Hospital for medical treatment. Efforts to revive Knight were unsuccessful.

Kenneth McKeane was later located by a USCG helicopter on the North Jetty. He was airlifted from there to North Bend Hospital.

The individuals in the initial boating accident were located and determined to be uninjured. No further information is available regarding that incident.

Both accidents remain under investigation by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Marine Division, working in coordination with the Oregon State Marine Board.