Another Drowning on the Wild and Scenic Chattooga River

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is investigating an apparent drowning on the Chattooga River Monday.

According to Oconee County Coroner Karl Addis, the incident occurred on Section III of the Chattooga River above Sandy Ford near Mountain Rest just before 6pm Monday evening.

The victim, a 64 year-old Madison, Georgia man, was pronounced dead at 8:20 pm and his body was extricated from the river approximately one hour earlier.

Addis says that the man, a friend, and his son were canoeing on the river. As they approached Sandy Ford, his canoe apparently overturned; his friend who was down river, looked back and observed this subject apparently floating in the river in no apparent distress, but then disappeared while his friend retrieved their canoe.

He was discovered a short time later; it appeared his legs became entangled in a undercut of a rock in the river; the current had pushed him underwater. An attempt to free him was unsuccessful; this subject was wearing a helmet and PFD.

His name will be released later on Tuesday; a post mortem exam will be ordered to assist with the death investigation.