Kayaker drowns on elevated Tennessee river

Drowning tile
Drowning tile

MCMINNVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee man has drowned in a kayaking accident in flooded waters.

Local news outlets report 59-year-old Ernest Lee Wade was kayaking with Treyton R. Gritzinger on the Collins River on Sunday morning when his sit-a-top kayak flipped over. A press release from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency says neither man was wearing a flotation device.

Wade's body was found under 6 to 8 feet (around 2 meters) of water around seven hours after his kayak flipped. The TWRA says recent rains have elevated water levels by 2 to 3 feet (around 1 meter), and swift currents and murky water hindered recovery efforts.

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