COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. — The Columbus County community is grieving the heartbreaking loss of Charles D. Godwin, 72, who died Thursday following a tragic boating accident in the White Marsh area.
According to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), officers responded around noon on Dec. 18 to a report of a fatal boating incident near Red Hill Road off Puncheon Branch. Investigators arrived at the scene at approximately 12:45 p.m. and began an extensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
NCWRC officials said Godwin had been fishing with another man earlier that day. As the two were traveling back upstream, the surviving fisherman stopped to take a break and asked Godwin to continue fishing beneath a nearby bridge. He reportedly handed Godwin a fishing rod before separating for a short time.
After 15 to 20 minutes, the survivor noticed Godwin’s boat floating downstream upside down. Authorities said the man immediately began calling out for Godwin and searching the area. Moments later, he discovered Godwin face down in the water beneath the bridge. The survivor pulled him to the shoreline and called 911 for help.
Emergency responders arrived quickly, and Godwin was transported to Columbus County Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
NCWRC confirmed that officers recovered Godwin’s boat at the scene, along with a life jacket tied to the bow of the vessel. Investigators said Godwin was not wearing the life jacket at the time of the accident.
As family, friends, and fellow anglers mourn his sudden passing, authorities are using this tragedy to remind the public of the importance of wearing life jackets at all times while on the water. The incident remains under investigation.
The loss of Charles D. Godwin has left a deep sense of sorrow in the community, as loved ones remember him and come together to grieve a life lost too soon.