Two Missouri Men Drown in White River

Two Missouri men drowned and a third swam to safety after their boat overturned and sank on the north fork of the White River in Ozark County on Friday around 3:30 a.m.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a westbound 1994 Landau John Boat was drifting downstream on the North Fork River, about one mile west of Tecumseh, (extreme southern Missouri) when the boat impacted a log extending from the bank into the river. The boat overturned and sank, ejecting all three men into the river.

38-year-old Shannon S. Newton of Dora swam safely to shore.

However, the other two men drowned, including 32-year-old Michael L. Dunlap of Norwood and 60-year-old Robert D. Smith of Dora.

One of them was pronounced dead at 6 p.m. Friday. The other was pronounced dead at 12:05 a.m. Saturday by Ozark County Coroner Gene Britt at the scene. Both bodies were taken to Clinkingbeard Funeral Home in Gainesville.

There were a total of 10 Troopers on scene.