Body of missing boater in Falls Lake crash recovered

The body of a boater who went missing Sunday afternoon on Falls Lake has been recovered, according to authorities.

Earlier Monday, searchers on Falls Lake refined how and where they were looking for the boater, who was missing for over 30 hours.

"We are not leaving any resources untouched to continue to find this man," said Chief Tony Godwin of the Wake County Sheriff's Office.

The person, whose identity has not been released, went missing Sunday afternoon during severe storms.

According to a spokesperson with Northern Wake Fire & Rescue, a collision between two boats happened Sunday around 1:47 p.m. near the Holly Point Campground State Recreation Area in Wake Forest.

At the time, high winds and heavy rain were crossing the lake, making conditions dangerous and reducing visibility.

"We can confirm that they were out in the storm, and it was a bad storm," Lt. Brandon Coffey, from North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, said. "I mean thunder, lightning, heavy rain. It dumped a tremendous amount of rain at one given time. So we do believe that was part of the reason for the accident."

Three people were involved in the crash, and one person went missing. The identity of the missing boater has not been released.

In a Monday press conference, officials said a total of 50 first responders were searching the site, including 30 people on the water. Officials said 75 acres of water have been searched since Sunday.

Crews on Monday were using 12 boats, a K-9 cadaver unit and technology, including underwater drones, sonar and mapping software, to search the lake. Land searches of boat ramps, recreation areas and shorelines were also underway, and drones and helicopters from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol were searching from the air.

At least 10 agencies assisted in the search.

Additionally, three law enforcement boats were stationed in the area to keep recreational boaters away.

"We would ask, safety first and foremost, if people are coming out to the area, we do have divers that are going up and down as well as technology," Coffey said. "We ask them to try to stay out of the area ... it also disturbs the water column, so it makes it more difficult to see, but mainly we want people to be safe on the waterways."

Coffey encouraged all boaters, adults included, to wear life jackets to prevent tragic accidents.

Most boating accidents caused by operator error

Last year in North Carolina, there were 143 boating accidents, according to data from the Coast Guard. The Wake County Sheriff's Office says this is the first on Falls Lake since 2021. More than a third of boating accidents involve a crash between boats.

Crashes are the leading cause of boating accidents around the country and in our state, according to Coast Guard data.

The Coast Guard report shows that operator-caused issues – such as inattentiveness, inexperience, excessive speed and alcohol use – are among the top contributing factors to boating accidents around the country, while those caused by equipment issues or weather are much less common.

The Wake County Sheriff’s Office said, while it was raining heavily during the time of the crash on Sunday, what exactly was the cause of it is under investigation.

During the more than 140 accidents on North Carolina waters last year, 64 people were injured and 20 died. That works out to about 5.2 deaths for every 100,000 registered boats in in the state.

The national rate is a bit higher, at 5.4.

Neighboring states also have death rates higher North Carolina.

Tennessee’s is double the national average, at 10.9.

The fatality rates spiked nationwide in 2020, data shows.

"Our priority is not only to respond, but to ensure the family of the boater is cared for. We are supporting them, and I ask the community to keep them in your prayers," Wake County Sheriff Willie Rowe said.

Witnesses save two after boating crash

Shane Mosley, who was boating on the lake at the time, witnessed Sunday's crash and leaped in to help.

"The two boats collided," Mosley said. "The boat that was on our side was on the opposite side of the lake, and the other boat was destroyed. Half of it was in the lake and it was just spinning in circles with the motor running."

Authorities said the official cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Mosley and a friend saved one of the boaters and took him onto their boat after realizing the man was unconscious with his head in the water.

"We jumped in the water. We didn’t even hesitate. We didn’t even think about it. We just did it because it needed to be done," he said. "We saw one guy on the boat. Half of his body was on the boat, half off. He was out of it, he was bleeding from his head."

Before being taken, the man had asked Mosley where his friend was.

"At that point in time, I didn't see anyone else," Mosley said. "We kept asking him what his friend looked like. It was still raining and lightning outside and we didn't see anyone."

The man was taken to a hospital in Durham.