Body of missing boater found in Putnam County lake

Body of Kenneth McCann Jr. recovered from Lake Grandin

INTERLACHEN, Fla. – The body of a 56-year-old boater who had been missing in an Interlachen lake since early Wednesday morning was found Thursday, not far from the spot where he was last seen in the water, deputies said.

The missing boater, Kenneth Edward McCann Jr., was found about 10 a.m. Thursday in Lake Grandin by equipment being used by one of the sheriff's office teams called in to help the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.

"We were out in force early, as soon as there was enough light to operate, and Mr. McCann's body was recovered shortly after 10 o'clock this morning," said Capt. Hancel Woods, of the Putnam County Sheriff's Office. "It was a joint effort. I believe he was actually discovered by a side-scan sonar that was being towed by a Clay County Sheriff's Office boat."

Two deputies near Lake Grandin, off Walker Drive, were alerted about 5:30 a.m. Wednesday that a man was in the water yelling for help. Deputies saved a 33-year-old man who was clinging to part of a small fishing boat that had capsized.

"They got a boat from one of the houses ... and they were able to go out and help that person out of the water," Woods said.

The 33-year-old, who has not been identified except as an in-law of McCann's, received medical treatment at the scene and is expected to be OK.

A Clay County dive team and Florida Fish and Wildlife officers were called to assist the Putnam County Sheriff's Office in its efforts to find and recover McCann.

Divers from the Putnam, Clay and Jacksonville sheriff’s offices resumed the search Thursday after recovery efforts were suspended at sundown Wednesday.

Marine officers from the FWC continued searching and maintained security at the scene overnight.

Deputies said the capsized boat that McCann had been in was left in the water as a reference point for the search, and he was found not far away.

Woods said the family was called to Lake Grandin to receive the news.

“They were aware that it was very likely that he had passed and that it was a recovery rather than a rescue,” Woods said. “Still, the moment of notification is always difficult, and we try to be sensitive about that.”

Deputies said it's not yet known what caused the boat to sink.


About the Authors:

Ashley Harding joined the Channel 4 news team in March 2013. She reports for and anchors The Morning Show.