HARDIN COUNTY, Tenn. — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has suspended search and recovery operations for Friday for the missing fishing team from Obion County Central High School. The search will resume Saturday morning.
In their 5 p.m. update Friday, TWRA officials said, “While we are not asking for additional volunteers, we understand that there may be friends and family joining the search this weekend. We ask that all new searchers check-in at 8 a.m. at Wayne Jerrold’s river park, 300 South Riverside Drive in Savannah, TN 38372.”
Units assigned to the river conducted surface and sonar scans in attempts to locate the missing boaters. THP Aviation conducted air searches, and the Finger and Fire Department searched along the river banks. Over the last five days, 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, 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, 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. The three were competing in a fishing tournament last weekend at Pickwick and Driver was serving as chaperone/guide.
Search efforts are concentrated on a 14 mile stretch the Tennessee River for the missing boaters. The three persons were reported missing after the fishermen failed to return from an Obion County club bass tournament.
TWRA photo.