HENRY COUNTY, Ala. — A 22-year-old from Georgia died during a duck hunting trip after he drowned in a lake on the Georgia-Alabama state line.
The drowning happened early Sunday morning on Lake Eufaula, according to the Henry County Alabama Sheriff’s Office.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources identified the victim as Jon Kaleb Nation, 22, of Griffin.
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Deputies say a group of duck hunters became distressed when their boat drifted away from an island near Thomas Mill Creek on the lake. One of the hunters, identified as Nation, tried to swim out to get the boat, but disappeared.
The sheriff’s office marine unit arrived and started to search the area. Sonar equipment located Nation in 20 feet of water nearly 100 yards from the island where the group was.
The unit pulled his body from the lake around 9:59 a.m.
“This is a very tragic incident, I would like to express my thanks to the timely response by so many agencies to help us this morning. However, this isn’t the outcome we were hoping for. Please keep this family and his friends in your thoughts and prayers as they cope with this difficult situation,” Sheriff Eric Blankenship said in a statement.
Blankenship said the Georgia Department of Natural Resources will take over the investigation.
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