Missing HS tourney boaters on Pickwick

[GReb]

Forgive me if this has been posted. During a high school tournament on Pickwick Last weekend a boat went missing containing two 15 year olds and one of their fathers. Apparently they had motor troubles and were delayed taking off. Other competitors thought they had loaded up and went home. They have since found the boat wrecked and flipped over but have not located any of the boaters. 
 

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2020/02/24/tennessee-students-parent-missing-pickwick-lake-hardin-county/4855010002/

[StretcherJockey]

The boat was pulled through the flood gates of Pickwick dam and was found down river a pretty good ways. Not a good sign at all. We’ve had lots of significant flooding lately and that area has been dangerous to be around. Generations through Pickwick Dam have been around 200,000 CFS and higher for the better part of a week. I was fishing Pickwick the day they went missing and the current was absolutely ripping. I stayed far away from the dam due to a big personal fear of something happening and getting pulled through. 
 

Just a sickening and tragic situation. Thoughts/prayers/condolences to the families of everyone involved.
 

Keep the emergency personnel in your thoughts as well. I’m a Paramedic for my occupation and a volunteer rescue squad member and situations like these are very difficult on the rescue/recovery personnel as well. 

[jeffo21]

My prayers will be with the families of these kids. Please keep us updated on this.

[813basstard]

Terrible..just terrible.

Praying this goes the right way.

[NittyGrittyBoy]

Any updates on this?

[Glenn]

It's gone from a rescue mission, to a "recovery" mission.  Over 100 volunteers have been searching for them without any luck. The TVA is reducing water levels to assist with the search.

 

The adult was also the father of one of the teens in the boat.

 

The Stratos boat was severely damaged. It was missing the main motor.

 

Wish I had better news.  But there isn't any. This is just horrible.

 

[jeffo21]

any news on the kids being found?

[NorthStar]

I hope they are found soon.  I coach a high school bass team and this is about the worst thing in the world to think about.  Praying for the families and Search and Rescue.  Sad

[StretcherJockey]

13 hours ago, jeffo21 said:

any news on the kids being found?

TWRA posted this to Facebook yesterday afternoon. 
 

UPDATE FOR THREE BOATERS MISSING NEAR PICKWICK DAM
 
HARDIN COUNTY, Tenn. --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, TEMA, and Hardin County Fire Department will be reducing the workforce in search and recovery operations for the missing boaters near Pickwick Dam. The reduction will begin Monday morning with the anticipation of heavy rain and rising waters.  Local resources will continue searching, and volunteers may assist but will not be required to check-in.  Press releases will be suspended until there is a development in the search and recovery.
 
Over the last seven days, search crews have conducted surface and sonar scans in attempts to locate the missing boaters on the Tennessee River. Multiple aviation units have assisted in air searches along the river banks. TWRA, Hardin County Fire Department, 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 have assisted with searching for the missing boaters on the Tennessee River near Pickwick Dam.  Thank you to all good Samaritans that have made donations with food, drinks, and supplies for all the volunteers this week.
 
The preliminary investigation indicates that a Stratos boat containing 43-year old Kenneth Driver and two 15-year-old boys was last seen in a picture taken above the dam 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 are concentrated on a 14 mile stretch the Tennessee River for the missing boaters. The three people were reported missing after the fishermen failed to return from an Obion County club bass tournament.

#tnwildlife

[TnRiver46]

The lawyer who jumped off a bridge in Chattanooga drifted 122 miles in 19 days and went thru  nickajack and guntersville dams. Unfortunately these boaters are either rotating in the keeper hole, pinned somewhere, or headed to the gulf. The word "lake" is not like what you imagine in Tennessee, it's all a river and it moves really fast in winter 

[WRB]

Pray for the families, they are going through tremdous grief loosing their children and the boaters family who was responsible for the kids safety.

Tom

[Glaucus]

Unbelievably tragic.

 

I won't even let my son fish river dams with me on foot because all it takes is one slip.

[TnRiver46]

1 minute ago, Glaucus said:

Unbelievably tragic.

 

I won't even let my son fish river dams with me on foot because all it takes is one slip.

I was 17 before mom would let me fish the dam alone.  And I had fished it my whole life with seasoned anglers in their boats up until that point 

[RB 77]

So tragic. Thoughts and prayers to the families.

[jeffo21]

thank you for the update. wish there was more we could do for those families.

 

[JediAmoeba]

I can't believe they have not found them yet.  What a terrible thing to have happen.

[TnRiver46]

14 minutes ago, JediAmoeba said:

I can't believe they have not found them yet.  What a terrible thing to have happen.

It’s happening all up and down the river, they pulled a woman out Sunday in west Knoxville that had drifted 28-30 miles. Another suicide they are thinking 

[TnRiver46]

I believe they found one of the missing boaters today at Shiloh national military park 

[StretcherJockey]

51 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I believe they found one of the missing boaters today at Shiloh national military park 

You are correct. 

[geo g]

Very sad, I'm sure at this point they all will not be found.  The closer to the coast bull sharks may become a factor.

[Tennessee Boy]

Very sad.  I’m surprised they found a body so close to the dam.   

[Bluebasser86]

They found another.

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2020/03/11/search-teams-recover-body-second-missing-boater-near-shiloh/5022168002/?csp=chromepush

[skekoam]

Looks like all 3 have been recovered.  So sad.

 

https://www.wbir.com/article/news/state/body-recovered-from-tennessee-river-believed-to-be-1-of-3-missing-pickwick-lake-boaters/51-a0562005-4c7f-42db-b138-e141cfab6159

 

 

[Bankbeater]

At least the families can have some closure now.  So terrible.