Friends witness 19-year-old struggle and then go under in Tennessee lake, cops say
Crews recovered the body of a Tennessee man police say went under while swimming with his friends.
The group was swimming in Fort Loudoun Lake near Knoxville about 130 yards from shore Monday when 19-year-old Chase Clear started having trouble swimming, his friends told deputies when they were called to the area around 8 p.m., according to the Blount County Sheriff’s Office.
Clear then went under water and didn’t resurface, the sheriff’s office says.
Dive crews were called to the lake and recovered Clear’s body from the area where he went under just before 11 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s office says the Knox County Regional Forensic Center will perform an autopsy.
“Sheriff (James Lee) Berrong and deputies would like to extend our deepest sympathy to Chase’s family and friends on the loss of their loved one,” the sheriff’s office said.
This story was originally published June 16, 2021 at 3:36 PM with the headline "Friends witness 19-year-old struggle and then go under in Tennessee lake, cops say."
