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1 person killed, 4 others injured in boating accident on Seneca Lake

Photo of a Donzi model speedboat, like the one involved in the accident on Seneca Lake on Saturday, 7/10/21
Yates County Sheriff's Dept.
Photo of a Donzi model speedboat, like the one involved in the accident on Seneca Lake on Saturday, 7/10/21

Yates County Sheriff’s Deputies have released more information about the boat accident on Seneca Lake Saturday that killed one person and injured four others.

The accident happened just before 5:30 p.m. near the hamlet of Himrod and the Showboat motel, according to Yates County Sheriff Ron Spike.

Deputies say that a 45-foot high-performance speedboat was traveling south on the lake at a fast speed when it made an abrupt turn causing it to roll up onto its side. The owner/operator of the boat, Michael Battley, 48, Seneca Falls, Seneca County, and five other people on the vessel were ejected. Battley, was taken to Thompson Hospital but did not require treatment.

The person who was killed has been identified as Cynthia Stuck, 65, Waterloo, Seneca County. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Her husband, Deloss Stuck, 57, Waterloo, suffered internal injuries as did passenger Jessica Stine, 40, Fishers, Ontario County; she is Cynthia Stuck's daughter.

Also injured was David Knorr, 44, Alyssa Knorr, 40, both of Clifton Springs, Ontario County. Both were taken to Strong Hospital via medivac helicopter.

The sheriff’s department says that when the accident happened, several people on shore swam to try and help with the rescue of the people on the boat. Besides deputies, state police, firefighters and multiple ambulances responded.

Sheriff Spike says that no one on the boat was wearing a personal flotation device, but the equipment was onboard the vessel.

The investigation is continuing and the boat was impounded for help with accident reconstruction.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.