BOATER FOUND DEAD IN DOUGLAS LAKE, 9TH BOATING FATALITY OF 2026
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is investigating a boating-related fatality on Douglas Lake near White Pine that occurred Thursday morning.
Around 10:56 a.m., authorities responded to reports of an unoccupied boat with fishing gear drifting near the Rankin area. Game wardens and first responders secured the vessel and searched the surrounding waters, locating the victim’s body in approximately eight feet of water with the help of a Remote Operated Vehicle.
Jefferson County Rescue Squad divers recovered the body around 3:33 p.m. The victim was not wearing a life jacket. An autopsy has been ordered, and the victim’s identity is being withheld pending family notification. This incident marks the ninth boating-related death in Tennessee in 2026. TWRA is urging boaters and anglers to always wear life jackets while on the water.
