CANOE FLIPS OVER ON WATTS BAR LAKE WITH THREE MEN ABOARD, ONE DIES OF HYPOTHERMIA

One person is dead after a boating incident on Watts Bar Lake near Sand Island on Sunday, March 6.

According to TWRA, three men had left their campground in a canoe. Winds were at 15 to 20 mph and waves were white capping. The water temperature was 54 degrees Fahrenheit.

After their canoe was overturned, the three men attempted to swim to shore in water depths between 40 and 50 feet. All three of the men were wearing life jackets. A TWRA officer and some bystanders found the three men and pulled them from the water, one of them being unresponsive.

TWRA says that two of the men were hypothermic and treated at the scene. The third man was pronounced dead and was transported to the Rhea County Medical Examiner’s Office.but hypothermia can occur in any water temperature below 70°F

Other agencies that assisted in the rescue include Meigs County Fire and Rescue, Meigs County EMS, Meigs County Sherriff’s Office and Rhea County EMS.