LAKE MURRAY OF RICHLAND, S.C. — A professional boat towing company is working to recover the boat that sank in Lake Murray after a Fourth of July parade. And the operation could cost between $5,000 to $10,000.
According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, three boats sank in 2022, and more recently, one sank in Lake Murray during its Fourth of July boat parade.
"A boat sinking in open water is more rare than a boat sinking at a dock. Boats sink at docks more regularly," said Rick Kahn, who owns TowBoat U.S. Lake Murray.
The company assists with those types of accidents.
Because of the number of resources needed to recover the boat, it's a lot more expensive to recover. Kahn said a dock recovery is much cheaper because there's an average of eight feet to work in. Out on the open lake, the range is between 40 and 200 feet.
Kahn said an added cost is divers for deeper searches.
"It's not a full-time job on a lake like this. It's not something that a couple times a day, fortunately, most of the salvage divers are part-time," Kahn said.
Costs aside, if a boat owner doesn't recover a sunken vessel, they've technically committed a crime.
According to DHEC, "It is unlawful to abandon a watercraft or outboard motor on the public lands or water of this State ... a person violating the provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction must be fined NO LESS THAN $1000."
DHEC also states that abandoning a boat could result in 30 days in jail.
The law is in place for several reasons, including protecting the lake from environmental harm.
"The concern, which is why Dominion wants it out, is the environmental concerns from gas and oil gas will eventually work its way out of the fuel tank."
As of right now, the boat is still in Lake Murray. TowBoat U.S. is working on scheduling divers to retrieve the boat.