Crews find bodies believed to be missing boaters at Jordan Lake, ending days-long search

Crews have recovered two bodies at Jordan Lake in Chatham County, ending their search for a pair of boaters who went missing Sunday.

According to the Chatham County Sheriff's Office, the boaters launched a canoe from the Martha’s Chapel Road access around 5 p.m. on Sunday, when they were last seen.

The empty canoe was found later Sunday evening.

The body of one missing boater was located Tuesday, and another was located Wednesday morning. Their names will be released once the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner identifies the bodies and family members are notified.

“Although this is not the ending we hoped for, we are grateful to bring some degree of closure to the families,” Sheriff Mike Roberson said Wednesday. “We appreciate the public’s support and patience, and we remain deeply mindful of the pain these families are facing.”

The Chatham County Sheriff's Office was assisted with the search by the North Chatham Fire Department, Lee County Emergency Management, FirstHealth EMS, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office and Durham County EMS.

Chatham County Chief Deputy Steve Maynor warns boaters to use caution at Jordan Lake, as the water can look deceiving. 

"You can get white caps on Jordan Lake. That water can get very choppy. It looks calm now but it’s treacherous. There’s debris in this water. [You] can’t see it until you hit it. It knocks your boat over," Maynor said.

Maynor also advised people to avoid the shore areas that are not maintained by state parks. 

"They have steep drop-off points. There’s obstacles under the water, and right now, you’re swimming above trees if you’re in those shorelines," Maynor said. "We urge you, if you’re gonna be in the water, wear your life jacket. If you can’t see the bottom, you need to be in a life jacket.”

There have been at least four other deaths from Chantal's impact in North Carolina:

- A man died in Alamance County after his car was swept away by floodwaters

-In Graham, police found a 23-year-old woman dead inside of a car that was submerged in a pond that had significant flooding.

- In Chatham County, an 83-year-old Pittsboro woman was killed when her car was swept off a rural road by floodwaters Sunday night.

- On Monday, crews found the body of a Person County woman who went missing while on her way to work in Orange County on Sunday night, according to a social media post by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.