The Hardin County Fire Department has recovered a third unidentified body from the Tennessee River. Search crews recovered the body of a John Doe around 7 a.m. near Shiloh National Military Park on the Tennessee River. The body has been sent to the Medical Examiner’s office in Memphis for an autopsy and identification. The third body was recovered within the same area as the two previous bodies. Hardin County has suspended search and recovery operations pending results from the Medical Examiner’s office.
TWRA would like to thank all the agencies and volunteers that have assisted with the search and recovery operations over the last three weeks. The Hardin County Fire Department worked diligently searching 19 days straight for the missing boaters. Gratitude is expressed to Sumner County EMA, Decatur County Rescue, Hardin County Sheriff’s Department, Henry County Rescue, Henderson County Rescue, and EMA, Lake County Sheriff, Humphreys County Sheriff, Carroll County Rescue, Chester County Rescue, Samburg Fire Department, Finger Fire Department, Obion County Rescue, Fayette County Sheriff’s, TEMA, TVA Police, and Pickwick State Park staff, Jackson Police Department Aviation Unit, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol Helicopter for assisting with search and recovery operations.
The Hardin County and Obion County communities should be commended on assisting the families and search crews during the three weeks. Appreciation is expressed to the large congregation providing supplies to the search crews along with the overwhelming support for the family during the search and recovery.
The preliminary investigation indicates that a Stratos boat containing Kenneth Driver, 43, and two 15-year-old boys was last seen on Saturday, Feb.
22, between 8 and 8:30 a.m. The three occupants and the 20-foot bass boat went through the floodgates at Pickwick Dam. Search efforts were concentrated on a 14 mile stretch the Tennessee River for the missing boaters. The three people were reported missing on Sunday, Feb. 23, after the fishermen failed to return from an Obion County club bass tournament. Water and air searches were conducted for 19 straight days in the attempts to locate the missing boaters. All three of the missing bodies were recovered within the same area approximately nine miles from the dam.