HARDIN COUNTY, Tenn. — UPDATED: 3/12/2020 - (TN WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY NEWS RELEASE) - 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 7:00 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 43-year old Kenneth Driver and two 15-year-old boys was last seen on Saturday, February 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, February 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.
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3/11/2020 - (TN WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY NEWS RELEASE) - The Hardin County Fire Department has recovered a second unidentified body of a missing boater from the Tennessee River. Search crews recovered the body of a John Doe around 8:00 a.m. this morning around 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 second body was recovered within one mile of the first missing boater recovered yesterday. Both unidentified bodies were recovered approximately nine miles from the dam.
Over the last 18 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.
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, February 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, February 23, after the fishermen failed to return from an Obion County club bass tournament.
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3/10/2020 - (TN WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY NEWS RELEASE) - The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has recovered the body of a missing boater from the Tennessee River. Search crews recovered the body of a John Doe around 4:30 p.m. this afternoon around 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.
Over the last 17 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.
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, February 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, February 23, after the fishermen failed to return from an Obion County club bass tournament.
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2/26/2020 – The search for three missing people at Pickwick Lake in Hardin County is now a search and recovery mission, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
The TWRA says several factors led them to transition to search and recovery, including the extensive damage to the boat when it was found, the water flow and temperature, and cold air temps. They say they believe due to those factors, there is no chance of survival for the adult and two teens who were on the boat.
Boats are conducting searches and electronic scans between Pickwick Dam and the Savannah Bridge.
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2/25/2020 – The search resumed Tuesday morning for the three missing people at Pickwick Lake in Hardin County.
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2/24/2020 – Three people, including two high school students are missing after participating in a fishing tournament on Pickwick Lake in Hardin County.
According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency, they are searching for two 15-year-olds and a 43-year-old man. They were part of an Obion Central High School Fishing Team Club tournament Saturday.
Tennessee River Valley News says the team’s truck and trailer has reportedly been found at the location where the boat was put into the water. The boat was located below the dam at Pickwick Monday morning.
There’s still no sign of the missing boaters.