LAUDERDALE COUNTY, Miss. (Queen City Newsfeed) – The body of a possible drowning victim was recovered from Dalewood Lake late Monday night, two days after witnesses reported an accident involving a male on a boat, officials said.
Emergency crews located the body around 10 p.m. on May 19, Lauderdale County Emergency Management Agency Director Odie Barrett confirmed Tuesday.
The initial report came in around 9 p.m. Saturday, May 17– prompting an extensive multi-agency search that lasted more than 48 hours.
Dive teams, game wardens, and emergency personnel from across the region participated in the recovery operation. Agencies assisting included Choctaw County (Ala.) Fire and Rescue, Choctaw (Miss.) Fire and Rescue, Philadelphia Fire and Rescue, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department, Meridian Fire Department, and the American Red Cross.
The Philadelphia Fire Department’s boat was also used in the search, Barrett said.
Barrett extended special thanks to additional supporters, including Magnolia Marine, Dalewood Property Owners Association, and local businesses such as McDonald’s and Newk’s Eatery, which helped provide meals to search crews.
Dalewood Lake was closed to the public during the search and has now reopened to members.
Authorities have not yet released the victim’s identity pending family notification. The incident remains under investigation.
