A 20-year-old man was rescued safely after his friends lost sight of him while swimming in a popular Georgia lake.
Zachary Rutledge had gone swimming with two friends at Burton Mill Park on Lake Lanier on Monday when the duo suddenly lost sight of him.
Fearing the worst, they quickly called 911 and Hall County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived on scene around 8:30 p.m. to begin the search process.
Officials from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Hall County Fire Rescue also conducted water searches, while the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) conducted aerial searches.
Zachary Rutledge, 20, went missing after his friends lost sight of him while swimming at Burton Mill Park on Lake Lanier and he was safely rescued.
Police initially believed he had swum from shore to an island and when he returned to find his friends, he discovered they were gone, according to the preliminary investigation.
But despite extensive searches, Rutledge could not be found throughout the night and authorities were forced to resume the search the following morning.
Police initially believed he had swum from shore to an island and when he returned to find his friends, he discovered they were gone, according to the preliminary investigation.
But after he was found at 9am on Tuesday, it was revealed he got out of the water and decided to spend the night in the park as he did not have his phone and could not call for help.
After being found, Rutledge said he heard GSP helicopters in the air, but didn’t know they were sent to look for him.
Once safely returned, the Sheriff’s Office issued a statement saying the incident “served as a good reminder to be careful when swimming in Lake Lanier.”
After he was found, Rutledge said he heard GSP helicopters overhead, but didn’t know they had been sent to look for him.
Despite being a major tourist destination, Lake Lanier is considered extremely dangerous due to boat traffic and submerged debris.
‘While this incident had a positive outcome, it serves as a good reminder to be careful when swimming in Lake Lanier.
“This includes not swimming alone, communicating clearly with other swimmers and keeping track of who may be in your group,” they wrote in a Facebook post. mail.
Despite being a major tourist destination, Lake Lanier is considered extremely dangerous due to boat traffic and submerged debris.
Some claim that the lake is “haunted” due to the existence of an entire village underwater.
All swimming areas on the lake are also considered “swim at your own risk” as there are no lifeguards on duty.
As of July 2024, at least 216 people have died at Lake Lanier between 1994 and 2022. In the past year, there have been 13 total deaths at the lake, including eight drownings.
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