Two killed in boat collision on Lake Murray identified

Two people are dead after two boats collided late Friday night on Lake Murray.

Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher identified the victims. The body of Mark Daniel Phillips, 37, of Columbia was recovered shortly after the incident, which took place at approximately 11:10 p.m. An autopsy performed on Saturday revealed he died as the result of blunt force trauma sustained in the collision.

At approximately 5 p.m. Saturday, the body of a second victim, identified as Christopher Shawn Lanier, 28, of Blythewood was recovered by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. An autopsy has been scheduled for Monday.

Phillips’ death was confirmed Friday night, while a search for Lanier lasted 18 hours, according to Robert McCullough of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.

Lanier’s body was found in close proximity to where the boat crash took place.

The boating crash happened around 11 p.m. Friday between Crystal Lake and Dreher Island, McCullough said.

A total of six people were aboard the boats, a 32-foot Intrepid power boat and a 16-foot bass boat, McCullough said. Two people were taken to a hospital.

The circumstances of the crash are being investigated, McCullough said.

This story was originally published April 22, 2017 at 11:06 AM with the headline "Two killed in boat collision on Lake Murray identified."