A 20-year-old man from Winder, Georgia, who was reported missing at Lake Lanier, has been found safe. Zachary Rutledge was discovered by a Hall County Sheriff’s Office deputy early Tuesday morning after spending a night in the park. The incident began on Monday evening at Burton Mill Park on Lake Lanier. Rutledge and his friends were enjoying a swim when they lost track of him around 8:30 p.m.
Unsure if Rutledge was still in the water or had left the park on foot, his friends promptly notified the authorities. This led to a comprehensive search operation involving multiple agencies. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Hall County Fire Rescue conducted water searches, while the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) performed aerial searches. Despite their efforts, the initial searches yielded no results.
How They Found The Missing Swimmer
The search continued into the night, but it was not until the following morning that Rutledge was found. Around 9 in the morning on Tuesday, a Hall County Sheriff’s Office deputy patrolling the park was flagged down by Rutledge himself. He had spent the night in the park after swimming to a nearby island and returning to find his friends had left.
The Hall County Sheriff’s Office expressed relief at the positive outcome in a press release. However, they emphasized the need for caution when swimming in the lake. “While this incident had a positive outcome, it serves as a good reminder to be cautious while swimming in Lake Lanier. That includes not swimming alone, communicating clearly with fellow swimmers and keeping track of those who may be in your group.”
Other Missing Person Cases At Lake Lanier
Lake Lanier’s reputation for dangerous swimming conditions is well-documented, with numerous high-profile missing person cases over the years. In May 2019, two boaters, 59-year-old Branislav Prazich and 38-year-old Nick Schimweg, went missing after a boat crash. The bodies of the two were later recovered.
Another tragic incident occurred in June 2019 when Corey Brown, a 28-year-old man, drowned after jumping into the lake to save a distressed friend. These incidents highlight the lake’s hazardous nature, exacerbated by its steep drop-offs, murky waters, and submerged debris. Since its creation in the 1950s, Lake Lanier has been the site of numerous deaths.
