A man and his child were found dead after a jet ski accident on Cheatham Lake in Cheatham County on Saturday night, according to WKRN.
According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), the incident happened just before 8 p.m. when the man, 36-year-old Steven White, struck a barge that was being pushed a tow boat. White’s 9-year-old son was a passenger on the jet ski at the time of the crash.
The crash prompted the tow boat’s operator to activate a general alarm and a vessel was launched to assist White and the boy. The TWRA said White was found unresponsive and was later pronounced dead by first responders at the Cheatham Dam Campground boat ramp.
The 9-year-old was not immediately found, which led to an extensive search by multiple agencies until 1 a.m. on Sunday. The search resumed at 8 a.m. where a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was used by TWRA to search for the child underwater.
Several hours later, Cheatham County Sheriff Tim Binkley confirmed with WKRN the 9-year-old had been found dead on Sunday night.
Officials say both victims were wearing life vests when the accident occurred.
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