1 dead, 1 missing after boats collide on Allatoona Lake

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — County special operations unit and dive teams have suspended their search for a missing boater after two boats collided in Allatoona Lake's cold waters Thursday afternoon.

So far emergency crews have pulled one body from the water at the lake and have rescued another man and are getting him help.

Dive teams told Channel 2’s Lori Wilson they will search the lake as long as they still have some daylight.

“The water's very cold out there. It's fortunate that we had one that we were able to get out,” said Tim Cavendar with the Cherokee County Fire Department.

NewsChopper 2 flew over the search scene just after 1 p.m. as crews searched for those involved in the crash.

They found one boater alive after they said he had been in the water for 45 minutes.

Late in the afternoon, crews pulled the body of one of the missing boaters from the lake. But they are still looking for a missing man.

“It's sad that we have two, that one being located and one that has not,” Cavendar said.

As crews continue to work, families can only wait.

“It is very difficult on these families, especially in a situation like this when it's just sort of a wait and see type thing and that's the most difficult part of it, it's the waiting and not knowing who at this time is the one that we located. So it has been very difficult on them,” Cavendar said.

Emergency crews will pick up their search at 8 a.m. Friday.

Cox Media Group