"There was an apparent miscommunication or some inattentiveness from the operator or Mr. Gibson that led to the boat to end up striking him," said Joe McSpadden, a TWRA officer who responded to the accident.

The TWRA says the boat operator, Lee Maclellan, moved the boat. Gibson, who was in the water, went under the boat and was hit by the propeller.

The propeller cut his leg, with those injuries leading to his death.

"When boat accidents happen - there tends to be quite a bit of trauma," said McSpadden. "And prop strikes - they're not pretty. They're not made to contact people either. They're not made of cushiony foam."