MOORESVILLE, N.C. — NC Wildlife confirmed the missing 22-year-old man who drowned in Lake Norman near the Hager creek Access area in Mooresville body was recovered from Lake Norman Sunday afternoon.
Officials say the man was on a boat with a group of friends when they decided to go swimming, but he never resurfaced. Several different agencies are helping in the search and plan to be back out to finish the recovery Sunday morning.
It got too dark to continue the recovery Saturday night, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
Officials got the call around 4 p.m. Saturday. About 10 people had been on a rental boat when they decided to go swimming.
The victim is a 22-year-old man. Officials don’t believe alcohol played a role in this and say he was wearing a life jacket.
The victim most likely didn’t have his life jacket secured properly when he tried to swim in an area of the lake that’s about 18 feet deep, according to the NCWRC. Now, officials are urging people to make sure their life jackets are fitted properly.
"The life jacket was put on but probably not adjusted tight enough so that’s why it slipped off when he jumped in the water," Wildlife officer Allen Vang said. "Make sure you wear your life jacket at all times make sure it is adjusted to your size and body weight."
This happened in the same area where two people drowned last Fourth of July.
Divers will be back around 10 a.m. Sunday to finish the recovery.