VESSEL #1 LAUNCHED FROM THE CARTERS LANDING BOAT RAMP ALONG WITH WITNESS #2. BOTH WERE ON SEPERATE INFLATABLE PADDLE BOARDS. WITNESS #2 STATED THAT THEY WERE JUST GOING TO PADDLE NEAR THE SHORELINE, BUT, THE WIND WAS SO STRONG THAT IT CARRIED THEM FARTHER OUT ACROSS THE LAKE. 

WITNESS #2 ALSO STATED THAT A BIG WAVE KNOCKED THEM OFF THE PADDLE BOARDS AND THEY BOTH ENDED UP IN THE WATER. WITNESS #2 STATED THAT SHE HAD LOST HER PADDLE AND THAT VICTIM #1 ATTEMPTED TO RETRIEVE THE PADDLE. WITNESS #2 STATED THAT THE WIND CARRIED HER FARTHER AWAY FROM VICTIM #1 AND WAS NOT ABLE TO GET TO HIM. VICTIM #1 STARTED TO STRUGGLE AND WENT UNDER WATER AND DID NOT RESURFACE.

 VICTIM #1 WAS RECOVERED AT APPROX. 2016 HRS IN APPROX. 10 FEET OF WATER BY COOKSON FIRE DEPERTMENT USING DRAG METHOD.

Operator had been drinking.
Tenkiller Lake
TAHLEQUAH                     