Latest news with #TackleWarehouseInvitational
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
3 Dead in Boat Crash at Major League Fishing Tournament
Three people are dead and multiple people were injured after a tragic boating accident during a Major League Fishing tournament in Alabama. The league announced Wednesday that the accident happened just 30 minutes into Day 2 of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational. The deadly incident involved one of the event's competing anglers, Flint Davis of Leesburg, Georgia. Advertisement Details are still murky but according to multiple reports, a fishing boat collided with another boat. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Related: Beloved Football Chaplain Dies in Freak Boating Accident "Out of respect for those involved, and to ensure the accuracy of all information, no further details will be released at this time," the league announced. "MLF is working closely with law enforcement and emergency officials. Additional updates will be provided as they are confirmed by the appropriate authorities. Our thoughts and prayers and deepest concern are with everyone affected by this tragic incident." According to TMZ, the victims include Joey M. Broom, 58, who died in the boat collision. John K. Clark, 44, and Jeffrey C. Little, 62, sadly drowned after they were thrown overboard during the incident. The event was scheduled to run until Thursday, but the final day has been canceled due to the tragedy.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
ALEA releases new details in Lewis Smith Lake boat crash
CULLMAN, Ala. (WHNT) — The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has released new information on people injured in a two-boat crash on Lewis Smith Lake Wednesday morning. ALEA said that Flint A. Davis, 22, of Leesburg, Ga, was the operator of the Nitro Bass Boat involved in the crash. The agency said Davis was injured in the crash and taken to Cullman Regional Hospital for treatment. MLF competition canceled following deadly multi-boat crash on Lewis Smith Lake Authorities said the operator of the Center Console involved, Gary W. Holcomb, 51, of Cullman, and a passenger, Luke H. Morgan, 30, of Albertville, were also injured in the crash. Both Morgan and Holcomb were taken to the UAB Hospital for treatment. On Wednesday, ALEA identified two of the victims as 44-year-old John K. Clark, of Cullman, and 62-year-old Jeffrey C. Little, of Brandon, Mississippi. Both were thrown overboard from the Center Console and drowned. Their bodies were recovered near the Miller Flats area of Smith Lake. ALEA said the two-boat crash also killed 58-year-old Joey Broom when he was hit by a Nitro Bass Boat. Broom was pronounced dead on the scene. ALEA said Davis was the only one onboard the Nitro Bass Boat during the crash, while Holcomb, Morgan, Broom, Clark and Little were all on the Center Console. Major League Fishing confirmed Wednesday that Davis, who was participating in the Tackle Warehouse Invitational on the lake at the time, had been involved in the accident. The MLF tournament director told News 19 that the rest of the competition has been cancelled. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
3 Killed, 3 Injured in Boat Wreck at Major League Fishing Tournament
A Major League Fishing tournament was cut short Wednesday due to a tragic boat wreck in which three people died and three others were injured. The fatal wreck involved two boats and occurred on Alabama's Smith Lake at 7:03 a.m. on April 16, according to local law enforcement. Officials have identified the three individuals killed as Joey M. Broom, 58, of Altoona, Alabama; John K. Clark, 44, of Cullman, Alabama; and Jeffrey C. Little, 62, of Brandon, Mississippi. In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Major League Fishing confirmed that tournament angler Flint Davis was one of the boaters involved in the crash, but did not specify his role in the incident. No officials have released details yet about who was injured. 'This is a heartbreaking moment for our entire organization,' MLF executive vice president Kathy Fennel said in the prepared statement. 'Our deepest condolences go out to the families and friends of those affected by this tragedy.' In the announcement accompanying Fennel's statement, MLF said it was canceling the third and final day of competition on Thursday. Details behind the crash are still emerging, and MLF says its organization will not release any more information at this time out of respect for those involved. But according to initial reports from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the fatal crash occurred in the Miller Flats area of Smith Lake. ALEA says a center console vessel 'was struck by a Nitro bass boat.' In a TikTok video posted the day of the crash and before any victims were identified, Alabama Bass Council president Allen Johnson shared some additional but unconfirmed details around the incident. Johnson claimed in the post that a center console vessel was being operated by a striped-bass guide who had multiple anglers onboard. According to Johnson, the bass boat came around a corner and collided with the center console vessel, running over the vessel and then going airborne. 'It threw the driver of that [bass] boat 50-60 feet away, and knocked the other guys out of the boat,' Johnson stated in his video. ALEA Lt. Jeremy Burkett told that the three men who died — Broom, Clark, and Little — were all onboard the center console vessel, and that Broom was pronounced dead at the scene. The agency said Clark and Little were thrown from the boat, and their bodies were recovered from the water near Miller Flats. It's unclear if either man was wearing a life jacket. Neither ALEA nor MLF have confirmed who was operating the two boats, but a Facebook photo of the Nitro bass boat that was recovered from Smith Lake shows Flint Davis' name on the side. Authorities have not clarified if anyone was onboard or if Davis was fishing solo in the three-day event, which was the third stop on the Tackle Warehouse Invitational circuit. Davis, who lives in Leesburg, Georgia, confirmed his involvement in a post he shared to his Instagram stories Wednesday. Related: Pro Bass Anglers 'Could Have Been Killed' in Crash While Speeding Back to Weigh-In WBRC reports that Broom was a councilman in Snead, a small town in Blount County, and that he was well-known in his local community. 'He always had a smile on his face. No one ever had a bad thing to say about him,' Snead mayor Tim Kent told the local news outlet. 'He always put the town of Snead and its people first. They are deeply saddened and shocked. He will be missed.'
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
Three Killed in Boat Crash at Major League Fishing Tournament
Flint Davis' boat after the Fatal Fishing Tournament crash; (photo/Facebook) A fatal boat collision during the Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse Invitational on Alabama's Lewis Smith Lake has left three people dead and several others injured. The crash occurred early Wednesday morning, which led MLF officials to cancel the tournament's final day. Advertisement 'This is a heartbreaking moment for our entire organization,' Kathy Fennel, MLF's executive vice president and general manager, said in a statement. 'Our deepest condolences go out to the families and friends of those affected by this tragedy.' According to authorities, the accident happened around 7 a.m. when a Nitro bass boat, operated by one of the tournament's competing anglers, collided with a center console vessel. Three men in the center console boat were identified as John K. Clark, 44, of Cullman, Alabama; Jeffrey C. Little, 62, of Brandon, Mississippi; and Joey M. Broom, 58, of Altoona, Alabama. All three died from injuries sustained in the crash. Two of the men were ejected and drowned, and the third died later from trauma. The MLF angler involved in the crash was identified as Flint Davis of Leesburg, Georgia. Flint Davis on his boat the day before the fatal accident on Lewis Smith Lake; (photo/Flint Davis Instagram) 'I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers,' Davis said in a post uploaded to his Instagram. Advertisement In response to the incident, Major League Fishing canceled the final day of the tournament. The event had been underway since Sunday and included a top prize of up to $115,000. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's Marine Patrol Division is continuing to investigate the cause of the collision. No further details have been released at this time. The crash has cast a shadow over the competitive fishing world. It serves as a sobering reminder of the real risks anglers face whenever they step into a boat. Read More
The Guardian
17-04-2025
- The Guardian
Three dead after boat collision at Major League Fishing event in Alabama
A fishing tournament on Alabama's Lewis Smith Lake turned deadly on Wednesday morning when two boats collided during competition, killing three people and injuring at least three others. The crash occurred around 7am during the second day of the Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse Invitational, prompting the league to cancel the remainder of the event. According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), the collision involved a Nitro bass boat and a center-console style vessel. One man, identified as Joey M Broom, 58, of Altoona, was fatally injured when the bass boat struck the vessel he was aboard. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other men, John K Clark, 44, of Cullman, and Jeffrey C Little, 62, of Brandon, Mississippi, were thrown overboard during the crash. Both men drowned. Their bodies were later recovered from the water. Officials confirmed that multiple individuals were injured in the crash, though their identities and conditions have not been made public. ALEA continues to investigate the incident. MLF confirmed that one of its competitors, Flint Davis of Leesburg, Georgia, was involved in the accident. Davis's role in the crash remains unclear. His boat was still on the lake later in the day, according to local reports. A park manager noted uncertainty as to whether all vessels involved in the crash were officially participating in the tournament. 'This is a heartbreaking moment for our entire organization,' said Kathy Fennel, MLF's executive vice president and general manager. 'Our deepest condolences go out to the families and friends of those affected by this tragedy.' The Tackle Warehouse Invitational had been scheduled to run through Thursday, with professional anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000. In light of the fatal accident, MLF officials made the decision to cancel the final day of the tournament out of respect for the victims and their families. The crash took place on Lewis Smith Lake, a sprawling 21,000-acre reservoir located roughly 70 miles north of Birmingham, popular with both recreational boaters and competitive anglers. In a statement, MLF said it is working closely with ALEA and emergency management officials and will provide additional updates as more information becomes available.
