District 31 officers responded Saturday, April 1, 2023, to a missing persons call on Dale Hollow in and around the Goat Islands area.  The call came into Clay County EMA around 21:30.  Clay County officer, responded to the Willow Grove Marina to start the investigation.  Off. notified command staff as the information was received.  I dispatched additional officers to help locate the party witnesses and to conduct interviews.  

These tasks took place from 21:30 until 02:45 the following morning, April 2, 2023.
Preliminary investigation indicated four individuals were camping on a small island, Graveyard Island, that was accessed by kayaks.  The alleged missing person was last seen in a kayak halfway between the island campsite and Willow Grove Marina.  Officers on the water conducted a perimeter search late into the night on April 1, 2023.
Today, April 2, 2023, a full TWRA team (10 officers, 5 patrol vessels) was on scene at 07:00 to begin a thorough investigation and search of the multiple surrounding islands and to begin side scan patterns of the adjacent water.  Officers interviewed witnesses to help establish relevant search areas and event that lead to the event.  
  
Joint agency response offered a great number of search vessels and ground search teams.  Using modern, real-time mapping applications (CalTopo), the searches where documented and captured.  The missing kayak was found at approximately 09:00 by officers.  Grid searches were performed until LTCol. 1 arrived with the ROV.  Utilizing the ROV, all possible marked targets were searched.  Broader searches were conducted after the possible marks were unsuccessful.  After all known targets were searched, scans were performed based on the captured wind data and geographic findings from the investigation.  During this last search, a potential image was discovered and the ROV was deployed with the successful finding of the missing individual.  He, was successfully located in 13.5 feet of water in the approximate location the kayak was recovered.  Operator was a 31 YO, white male native to Overton County.  The victim was located at 16:11 and was recovered at 16:53.  
   

PIO’s were kept informed throughout the investigation and are working on a final public release.  
Assisting agencies include Clay County Sheriff Department.
DALE HOLLOW RESERVOIR
CELINA                        