On Saturday, 01-01-11, at approximately 1230 hrs, the victim was with a group of 4 other kayakers on the Tellico River. They put in at the kayak launch immediately above the 1st bridge above Baby Falls. There is a 6 foot ledge in the river approximately 125 yds downstream from the above bridge. The first three kayakers successfully negotiated the ledge. The victim went over next and immediately capsized in the hydraulic. The fifth kayaker was right behind him and his boat struck the victims capsized boat, causing him to capsize as well. Both boaters got caught in the hydraulic under the falls but the fifth boater managed to escape rather quickly. The victim remained in the hydraulic, got separated from his boat, and was recirculated several times before being flushed out. He floated downstream unconscious and face-down several yards before being pulled out by his partners who performed CPR on him until transferred to the responding ambulance crew. He was transported to Sweetwater Hospital and then UT Hospital where he was pronounced dead due to drowning.
The water level of the river at the time of the accident was very high and rising swiftly due to recent rains and snowmelt. See attached River Stage chart. According to many witnesses a combination of three factors contributed to the cause of the accident :  1) the victim''s level of experience  2) the water level of the river  3) the size and style of the victims boat.

TELLICO PLAINS                