Body of missing boater, 21, found in Falls Lake after extensive search
A missing boater’s body was recovered Monday night in Falls Lake following a collision Sunday evening, ABC11 and other news outlets reported.
Authorities searched over 75 acres of water in an operation involving at least nine agencies, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office said.
The Sheriff’s Office did not release the man’s name, but ABC11, The News & Observer’s media partner, reported family members identified him as 21-year-old Raiquan Massenburg. He was out on the lake fishing with a friend before the crash.
He went missing in the water after two boats collided during a storm around 1:47 p.m. Sunday near the Holly Point Campground State Recreation Area in Wake Forest, according to authorities.
Massenburg’s friend, whose name also has not been released, was hospitalized with injuries.
Neither Massenburg nor his friend, who is 20 years old, was wearing a life jacket, ABC11 reported.
The person operating the other boat, 16 years old, was wearing a life jacket and was not hurt, the station reported.
Earlier Monday, authorities had said the search might need resume Tuesday morning.
“I can tell you that we’re exhausting all options,” said Lt. Brandon Coffey of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.
Dozens responded to the incident on Monday. First responders used a K-9 cadaver unit, a dive team and technology that included underwater drones to search the lake.
Authorities also searched areas by foot.
Boaters should be aware of storms
Skies were mostly clear when the boaters were on the water before the storm hit around 2 p.m., Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Rosalia Fodera told ABC11.
“It was a sunny day, and then this rain, the skies opened up,” Fodera told ABC11. “And you have to be alert when you’re on the water and keep that in mind.”
There were law enforcement boats on the water when the crash occurred Sunday, Coffey said, which allowed authorities to respond to the crash in minutes.
“They were out in the storm. It was a bad storm,” said Coffey. “It dumped a tremendous amount of rain at one time.”
The Sheriff’s Office stressed boaters should watch for changing weather conditions, and Coffey said boaters should follow safety precautions like wearing life jackets and using the killswitch on boat engines to prevent accidents.
Footage from ABC11 showed a damaged single-person boat still on the water Monday morning.
“Our priority is not only to respond, but to ensure the family of the boater is cared for,” Sheriff Willie Rowe said in a statement. “We are supporting them, and I ask the community to keep them in your prayers.”
This story was originally published July 10, 2023 at 1:09 PM with the headline "Body of missing boater, 21, found in Falls Lake after extensive search."
