Boater killed, another rescued from Harris Lake after boat crashes into cement pole
A boater was found dead Friday in Harris Lake following a five-hour search after his boat crashed into a cement pole, officials say. A second boater was rescued.
According to the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, around 6 a.m. deputies responded to a water rescue involving a boat at the Holleman's Crossing boating access point at Harris Lake County Park.
"2 am this morning boat collided with cement piling at lake," Captain Bill Harding, Wake County Sheriff's Office said.
The lake is located minutes from the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant in New Hill.
A spokesperson told WRAL News two men who were night fishing crashed into a cement pylon in the water and were thrown from the boat.
"We know at least one was thrown from boat, the other was recovered in the boat," Chief Tony Godwin, Wake County Sheriff's Office said.
When the boat crashed, witnesses heard their cries and called 911.
"A witness here at the lake said they could hear someone yelling for help from lake," Harding said.
One man was found alive in the boat and transported to a hospital. The body of the other boater was pulled from the water five hours later after a multi-agency search that included K-9s, drones, sonar and mapping software.
Drone 5 flew overhead as boats with flashing lights searched the vast lake.
Earlier on Friday, WRAL News crews were on scene as the first boater was pulled from a rescue boat, strapped to a gurney and put in an ambulance.
"What she is looking for is bubbles coming up unfortunately from the drowning victim," deputy jack thorpe said
Around 1230 rescue and recovery crews towed in the boat the men were fishing on.
"Our heart goes out to family and friends and community members impacted," Thorpe said.
Wake deputies and EMS, the Holly Springs Fire Department, the Cary Fire Department, the Chatham County Sheriff's Office, the Nash County Sheriff's Office, Lee County Emergency Services, the Durham County Sheriff's Office Dive Team and Wake County Emergency Management all assisted with the search.
A WRAL News crew witnessed 60 first responders at the scene at the peak of the search.
The crash is under investigation by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
