Thursday, Jun 7, 2007
On the night of Monday, June 4th, rescuers recovered the body of Joshua Roberson, 24, of Maryville, Tennessee, who drowned and was trapped in the Little River in an area known as the “Sinks,” a popular waterfall within the park. Roberson had reportedly slipped on rocks above the waterfall and was carried over the falls, which has a 12-foot drop with a large volume of water that plunges forcefully into the boulder-strewn Little River. After falling into the turbulent pool at the base of the falls, Roberson did not resurface. Two of Roberson’s companions witnessed the accident and other individuals drove to nearby Townsend, Tennessee, to use a cell phone to relay the emergency to Blount County 911. Roberson’s companions reported that he was scooting along rocks when he slipped and fell into the river. He was then carried over the falls and wedged into a submerged V-shaped log. Rangers were assisted by Blount County Rescue Squad personnel, who provided scuba diving and swift water rescue services. The rescue team, using technical equipment and ropes, located the body around 10 p.m. The operation to extricate the body from the water was challenging because of the swift whitewater and strong undercurrents that pinned Roberson’s body below the surface. Rangers were assisted by personnel from the Blount County Sheriff’s Office, Blount County Fire Department, Townsend Fire Department, and Rural Metro Ambulance Service. Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental deaths in the park, second only to motor vehicle accidents. Since the park began keeping records in 1971, there have been 28 drownings, five of which occurred at the Sinks.
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