Man last seen feet from dock vanishes on SC lake, officials say. Body later found
A South Carolina man last seen feet away from a dock was found dead in a popular lake, officials said.
The 38-year-old disappeared after he went into Lake Cunningham on Sunday, July 23. Witnesses believed he was trying to swim to the other side of the lake but couldn’t make it, the Greenville County Coroner’s Office told McClatchy News.
“He turned around and started swimming back to the side that he went in on and it looked like he was winded, according to (witnesses),” Mike Ellis, chief deputy coroner, said in a phone interview.
The witnesses, who were on a boat, reportedly got closer to the man, who was asking for help. But when the man was about 15 to 20 feet from the dock, he slipped under the surface, officials said.
One of the boaters jumped into the water to look for the missing man, and deputies who had been carrying out an unrelated warrant in the area also joined the search. But officials called in a dive team when their efforts were unsuccessful, according to Ellis and a news release from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office.
The man’s body was found after 4 p.m. under roughly 10 to 15 feet of water. He was identified in a news release as Chuck Gilbert Shelton of Greer, roughly 10 miles northeast of downtown Greenville.
Officials said Shelton accidentally drowned. As of July 24, an investigation into his death continued.
Lake Cunningham, a popular fishing and boating destination, is located in the Greer area.
Drowning
At least 4,000 people die from drowning every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and drowning is a leading cause of death for children.
Some factors can make drowning more likely, including not knowing how to swim, a lack of close supervision, not wearing a life jacket and drinking alcohol while recreating near or in water.
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance said there are tips to help keep you safe in the water, including checking local weather conditions, never swimming alone and choosing the right equipment.
“Don’t hesitate to get out of the water if something doesn’t feel right,” the group said on its website. “Whether it’s that the current is getting rough, rain has started to fall, or your body is just not responding like you would like it to due to fatigue or muscle cramps, then just leave and return to the water another day. It’s always a good thing to trust your instincts.”
65-year-old doctor who drowned in lake may have been electrocuted, SC officials say
Decomposing body discovered when deputies open barrel found at SC lake, coroner says
