A 39-year-old man had part of his hand amputated and suffered major injuries Sunday afternoon after falling off a boat and being struck by the vessel's propeller at Lake Berryessa, according to the Napa County Sheriff's Office.
The accident was reported about 12:48 p.m. and a deputy found the Richmond man suffering major lacerations on his hand and wrist and applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, the sheriff's office said.
The man was not wearing a life jacket, but family members were able to pull him back up to the boat, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office said.
The victim, who had been riding on the front of the bow before he fell into the water, was airlifted to a hospital in Vacaville for surgery.
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The Napa County Sheriff's Office is reminding the public that riding on the bow, or forward part of a boat, is not allowed due to safety concerns.
