Body of boater who went missing Fourth of July found in Lake Norman, NC officials say

The body of a boater who vanished on the Fourth of July has been pulled from Lake Norman north of Charlotte, searchers say.

He was identified as 27-year-old Miles Edward Merritt of Charlotte, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

“Last night around 11 p.m., our crews ... successfully recovered the body of the missing swimmer around the Sandbar,” Cornelius-Lemley Fire Rescue said in a news release posted Sunday, July 7.

“We would like to ask you keep the family and friends in your thoughts and prayers during this time.”

The Sandbar, just west of Cornelius, is a popular gathering spot for boaters.

Investigators have not reported when Merritt went missing, but alerts were posted on social media around 4:50 p.m. Thursday.

Teams from multiple counties participated in the two-day search, which was hampered by recreational boaters stirring waters, officials said.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is investigating what it has called a “boat incident.”

Lake Norman covers more than 32,500 acres and has a maximum depth of 110 feet, officials said.

This story was originally published July 7, 2024 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Body of boater who went missing Fourth of July found in Lake Norman, NC officials say."