CO Blamed In Death Of AZ Teak Surfer

[Kwicherbichen]

Thursday, May 27, 2004
PHOENIX (AP) - Divers on May 15 recovered the body of a teen reported missing while teak surfing during a senior ditch-day outing at Bartlett Lake the day before.
The body of Min-Jae Yang, 18, was located about 8:30 a.m. beneath 15 feet of water in the northern end of the lake.
Yang and about 20 other Shadow Mountain High School students went to the lake on May 14 for senior ditch day - a non school-sanctioned activity.
Friends said Yang was teak surfing - when an individual holds on to the swim platform of a moving vessel and body surfs on its wake. They said he let go of the back of a motorboat and never resurfaced.
Officials have reported that a number of deaths of teak surfers nationwide have been attributed to carbon- monoxide poisoning.
The U.S. Coast Guard warns boaters not to teak surf because it directly exposes them to carbon monoxide in the engine's exhaust.
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office officials said the cause of death was listed as unknown, pending an autopsy. Officers reported that there was no apparent trauma to the body.

[v-drive]

I don't want to bag on the boat builders as this is really not their fault, and, something has to be done about these tragedies. What is wrong with these people that allow their children to do this, is there that much un-awareness. From the time I was a small child I have been around this stuff and can remember being told of its danger. If a parent wasn't present why did they allow the operator to use their boat without being educated. I'm sorry to go on about this but it angers me that some law will be created to harm the boating industry (and us) when it is the responsibility of the parent or operator to handle this.
v-sick and tired of stupid people-drive

[PHX ATC]

Smart guy, huh? Let's see, "surf" right by an exhaust pipe or 2.
Smart, very smart.

[Sherpa]

darwin at his best-!
--Sherpa
throw another cup-O-clorine into that thar pool-!

[91nordic29]

Originally posted by PHX ATC
Smart guy, huh? Let's see, "surf" right by an exhaust pipe or 2.
Smart, very smart.
and a propeller.

[Essex502]

Originally posted by Sherpa
darwin at his best-!
--Sherpa
throw another cup-O-clorine into that thar pool-!
This is how we "thin the species"!

[Debbolas]

http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...his_CO-med.jpg
This is the launch ramp at Hemmingway/Las Vegas Marina at Lake Mead. Is all that smoke CO?

[Laveyman]

One more moron flushed outta the gene pool!

[jbtrailerjim]

I blame the boat driver as much as the teen. The boat owner should have never let this happen in the first place. What an idiot.

[O/B Dude]

The haze that you see at the ramp "may" contain CO, but CO is basically transparent.
The FATHER of one of the boys was driving the boat. They had all been drinking as well.
SAD SAD tradegy....