John Steve Carbonell Catilo was a 20 year-old college honors student, studying pre-med at the University of Virginia. He was an avid rower, and had participated in rowing programs throughout high school. During the summer of 2004, he returned home from college to again coach a summer novice program at a local club on the Potomac River near Washington, D.C.
On the morning of June 25, 2004, John Steve was coaching from a 14-foot aluminum launch with a 15 horsepower outboard engine along the Potomac River above the “no wake” zone. It was a warm summer day; the water was not cold, and the weather was nearly ideal. John Steve was not wearing a personal flotation device (PFD), and neither the law nor the rowing program required him to wear one. While the safety cut-off switch on his launch’s engine could be engaged with a lanyard, the lanyard was not in use; neither the law nor the rowing program required it to be in use.
Suddenly and without warning, John Steve was thrown from the launch into the river. He treaded water for a short period of time but disappeared before help could arrive. His body was found two days later some distance down river from where he went into the water. John Steve’s autopsy report found no signs of blunt force trauma to his head or other factors contributing to his death.
By all accounts John Steve was a strong swimmer and knew how to operate his launch. We know that a significant number of people, of all swimming abilities, drown each year regardless of weather conditions and depth of water. However, many coaches use PFDs and engine kill switches only if they are not strong swimmers, the water is cold or the weather is bad. We know that if John Steve had been wearing a PFD, he would likely be alive today. Thus, the tragic death of John Steve Carbonell Catilo serves as a lesson to all coaches and others in launches that they should wear PFDs and use lanyards at all times when on the water. Because tragedy can strike at any time and under any circumstance, safety is paramount.
All who knew him grieve the loss of this talented young man, and USRowing hopes that through this tragedy the sport is made safer by the widespread use of PFDs and safety lanyards.