NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The search for three missing fishermen, including two teenage boys, got underway for a third, consecutive day. It's now considered a recovery effort.
Crews say they’re still searching a stretch of the Tennessee River below the Pickwick Dam.
Two 15-year-olds and 43-year-old Kenneth Driver, the father of one of the boys, went missing over the weekend during a fishing tournament on Pickwick Lake. The missing students were part of the Obion County High School fishing team.
TWRA officials say the last time the three of them were seen was in a surveillance photo of them above Pickwick Dam.
The boat was recovered near the Savannah bridge Monday morning with extensive damage, which is why, days later, officials are considering the search as a recovery effort.
Swift water has slowed the search effort. The Tennessee Valley Authority has slowed the flow of water through the dam to help. It's believed the three lost engine power and went over the dam.
"Because of the rain... We can't close the gates. It is going to flood on the other side,” said Amy Spencer with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
Twenty boats and 70 volunteers searched 50 miles of the Tennessee River on Wednesday. Units conducted surface scans and grid searches using side-scan sonar in attempts to locate the missing boaters.
Read more:
Search for missing boaters continues in Hardin County, TWRA now focusing on river
Boat recovered in search for fishermen in Hardin County; 2 teens, adult still missing
