Authorities have recovered the body of a missing kayaker from Lake Marion, following a search that began Saturday after an unoccupied kayak was found floating in the water.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) announced Sunday via social media that its dive team located the kayaker’s body that afternoon. Officials used sonar and cell phone ping technology to track the individual’s last known location before deploying recovery efforts.
The search was initiated after Nick Huddleston, a fisherman participating in a tournament on Lake Marion, spotted an overturned kayak filled with water on Saturday.
“Just happened to see something in the water a little ways away. Started getting closer to it, drove towards it, and saw it was a kayak that had flipped over,” Huddleston told local media outlets. “It had been full of water; we tried to tow it, and it was so full of water, we had to leave it near a tree ... at that point, I tried to contact DNR.”
SCDNR confirmed that the kayak was still equipped with fishing gear and a life jacket strapped to it when discovered. Investigators later identified the owner and launched a coordinated search effort.
The name of the deceased has not yet been released, pending notification of family.
SCDNR continues to emphasize the importance of wearing life jackets and taking necessary precautions when kayaking on open water.
This story is developing and will be updated as more details become available.
