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Gainesville woman injured in boating accident on the Suwannee River

Ironically, though it’s safe boating month, a Gainesville woman suffered internal injuries in a boating accident on the Suwannee River on Sunday afternoon near Old Town. Twenty-one year old Nobbie Cannon was riding on a tube being pulled by a boat when it was struck by a separate boat operated by Therman Corbin of Old Town. Cannon was taken to Shands Hospital in Gainesville where she underwent surgery. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the accident.

The Summer months are a time for taking it slow on Florida’s waterways. Boaters on Florida’s rivers and lakes are encouraged to slow down and follow the safety and navigation rules while operating machine crafts. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee spokesman Jeff Summers says his agency is stressing proper precautions in order for everyone to be safe and to have a good time on the water.

“By all means, enjoy boating and use the waterways, but be ever conscious of other people, their actions, what’s in the water and your surrounding and avoid boating and alcohol. They just do not mix,” he said.

Summers adds people are encouraged to take boater’s safety classes in order to learn how to operate watercraft machinery in a safe manner.

Corey is a reporter for WUFT News and can be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.