On November 24th, 2023, at approximately 2:00 PM I received a call from a Seminole County Deputy stating that a possible drowning had occurred near Sealy’s Landing in Seminole County. I arrived on scene with a patrol vessel and began searching for the complainant to gain more information on what had happened. 

About 100 yards outside of the spring creek channel I observed a vessel with one occupant drifting in an area cluttered with stumps. I approached the vessel and asked the operator if he had called in the drowning and he said that he did. 

I asked Subject1 what had happened, and he stated that he and his brother had been fishing that morning and while he was operating the vessel headed back to Big Jim’s landing, he drifted outside the channel markers and struck a stump. Subject1 said that the vessel had been slowly taking on water throughout the day and his brother was crouched near the rear of the vessel working on the leak issue when the vessel hit the stump causing Victim to fall overboard. Subject1 stated that he immediately made a “U-turn” as Victim struggled to stay above water and was able to grab him but was not able to hold on and when he let go. Victim went below the surface of the water and did not resurface.
 
	Sergeant arrived on scene, and we asked Subject1 if he would board our patrol vessel and try to show us where he thought that his brother went under at. Subject1 agreed and was able to identify a stump that he thought he hit and an area where we turned around when his brother was ejected from the vessel. 

Once Subject1 was taken back to Sealy’s landing Sgt. and I began searching the area he identified using the side scan sonar on our patrol vessel. Seminole County deputies in a patrol vessel also searched using side scan sonar and Decatur County Fire and Rescue deployed a drone in the area. While units were searching for the victim, officers inspected the vessel for damage and made sure that the proper safety equipment (Life Jackets, Throwable device, and fire extinguisher) were on board. They did not observe any damage to the hull of the vessel but did state that all required safety equipment was  present. Seminole County SO and Decatur Fire and Rescue both developed boat issues and had to abandon the search. Sgt. and I remained on scene until dark with negative search results from side scan sonar.

	On November 25th, 2023, at 7:30 AM Sgt. and I resumed search efforts with side scan sonar and surface sweeps of the area the drowning occurred according to Subject1 with negative results. Decatur Fire and Rescue divers arrived on scene at approximately 9:00 AM and utilized their drone to attempt to gain a better view below the surface of the water with negative results. At approximately 12:30 PM we deployed one diver from the Decatur Fire and Rescue dive team to search a triangle shaped area between a group of stumps around the stump that Subject1 stated that he hit. At approximately 1:00 PM the diver located Victim Subject1’s body and at 1:25 PM and successful recovery was made. 

	Once the body was secure in our patrol vessel it was transported to Cummings landing and turned over to Deputy Coroner and the Evan’s Skipper Funeral Home.

Lake Seminole
DONALSONVILLE                 