Investigator Otis John Whan

Otis John Whan

Investigator Otis Whan drowned when the vehicle he was riding in broke through river ice and became submerged.

Investigator Whan was conducting checks of commercial fishing operations on the Mississippi River north of New Boston in Mercer County and had gone onto the 16-inch thick ice to check a group of fisherman who had driven their vehicles onto the river. After conducting the checks, the men offered to drive Investigator Whan back to his service vehicle.

As their vehicle was driven over a layer of ice that was only two inches thick, the ice gave way causing the vehicle to become submerged some 14 feet below the river's surface, drowning all its occupants.