06-07-16 Fatality at Lake Junior

Two men had taken their kayaks to paddle around on the small lake. The first man got into his kayak and began to paddle away. The man told firefighters that when he looked back for his friend, all he could see was his friend's overturned kayak, with his paddle and cap floating in the water. His friend was not wearing a personal flotation device. The man raced back as quick as he could to look for his friend, but was unable to locate him. At that point, the man called 911 to get help.

Chattanooga firefighters and police were the first to arrive on the scene. Officers with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) arrived a short time later. Battalion Chief Rick Boatwright called for water rescue assistance, bringing in the Hamilton County STARS (Special Tactics and Rescue Service) and Hamilton County Sheriff's Department (HCSO).

Divers with STARS and HCSO searched the area of the lake where the man was last seen. The sheriff's department also used it's underwater remote control vehicle (ROV), which is equipped with sonar and video camera. At 7:45 p.m., the victim was found in about 6 1/2 feet of water. At 8:00 p.m., the victim was pulled from the water and pronounced dead on the scene. He was 53 years old. After notifying family members on the scene, the body was transported by Hamilton County EMS to the Hamilton County Medical Examiners Office, where the cause of death will be confirmed.

Lake Junior is a small body of water on TVA property, located near the Chickamauga Dam off of Highway 153.