26-year-old man's body recovered from Dalton lake in possible drowning

DALTON, Ga. - The body of a 26-year-old man was recovered from Haig Mill Lake in Dalton after a possible drowning Saturday night.

A fisherman called 911 at 7:02 p.m., reporting a man calling for help in the water.

The Dalton Police and Fire Departments responded to the call, but saw no sign of the victim. Nearly five hours later, his body was recovered from the lake with the assistance of the Department of Natural Resources and the Georgia State Patrol’s diver.

It's believed that the man was with his brother-in-law, kayaking on the lake that night. Officials say the victim had taken off his life jacket near a dock on the lake. They were told the man jumped back into the water, trying to swim out and retrieve one of the kayaks when he became tired and started calling for help.

His identity will not be released until his family has been notified of the tragic incident.

Haig Mill Lake Park was closed on Sunday as the investigation continued. So far, there has been no indication of any foul play.