Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) reports one boating-related fatality during the 2024 Memorial Day holiday weekend. The holiday period was extended from 5:00pm Friday through midnight Monday.
The fatality occurred on Watts Barr Reservoir when a 19-year-old male jumped from a boat and did not resurface. The call to officials came in shortly after 9:00pm, and his body was recovered in 24 feet of water just after 2:00am Sunday as TWRA officers and local agencies used a remotely operated vehicle. The incident remains under investigation.
There have now been eight boating fatalities this year.
Five injury incidents were reported from across the state, and eight property damage incidents occurred, five in the Middle Tennessee region.
TWRA wildlife officers made 13 BUI (boating under the influence) arrests. Six of the arrests were made in the East Tennessee region, five in Middle Tennessee, and two in West Tennessee. TWRA officers also assisted several stranded boaters over the weekend.
The TWRA had a strong presence across the state. Storms and heavy rains affected the number of boaters in certain places through the weekend. In other areas not affected by the weather, the TWRA reported there was the normal high traffic of a holiday weekend.
