The winds rolling over Chesapeake Bay yesterday were strong. Strong enough to pique the interests of local downwind paddlers looking to surf the open-water windswell. A group of four were apparently out on the water around 6:30 p.m., which included former Army medic and double amputee, Cody Iorns, 25, of Washington D.C.
Iorns, who lost his arms in a motorcycle accident, was found face down off Tolly Point, near Annapolis, Maryland. According to reports, with the winds gusting to 25 knots, one member of the group saw Iorns floating behind the pack and went back to pull him in. He was reportedly wearing an inflatable life jacket that did not inflate. The group began rescue breathing as he was unresponsive. Iorns was eventually picked up by a fire department rescue boat.
Iorns competed on his board in races up and down the East Coast using custom SUP blades that resembled a kayak paddle. “Whenever I paddleboard, it’s a team sport because someone is getting my board, someone’s helping me with my arms, so that’s my team,” he said. “Eighty percent of my goal is accomplished by making it to the race.”
Capital SUP, a paddling outfitter and local shop that worked closely with Iorns released a statement on its Facebook page: “It is with incredible shock and deep sadness that we inform you Cody Iorns passed away this evening. He went out for a downwind paddle with fellow Capital SUP paddlers and unexpectedly drowned.”
Rescuers performed CPR on Iorns but he was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Capital SUP also said that its members were still trying to piece together what happened as are investigators. An autopsy is expected to be performed as the community looks for answers.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story mistakenly misspelled Cody Iorns last name. We regret the error.
