Update: Dive Teams Continue Search for Drowning Victim

Update: (8-22-12, 12:20 p.m.)

Authorities continue their search for Jeffrey Nause, 44, who is presumed drowned after apparently jumping into the water from a boat in the vicinity of Lake Lanier Islands on Saturday, Aug. 18.

The search for Nause resumed today at 8:30 a.m.

"Divers are on the water now," said Sgt. Stephen Wilbanks of the Hall County Sheriff's Office.

Update: (8-21-12, 9:45 a.m.)

Operations resumed at 8 this morning for 44-year-old Jeffrey Nause who is presumed drowned after apparently jumping into the water from a boat in the vicinity of Lake Lanier Islands, according to authorities. The incident was reported just after midnight on Saturday, Aug. 18.

Sgt. Stephen Wilbanks of the Hall County Sheriff's Office said Monday's search was spent conducting sonar searches and using cadaver dogs (provided by Dawson County EMS).

Cadaver dogs had indicated two possible locations, but after closer inspection with sonar – divers yielded negative results.

Additional sonar targets were located and divers were able to investigate a portion of those. Water depths Monday reached 118 feet, temperature at depth was 42 degrees, and visibility was approximately 30 inches, with standing timber in some areas.

UPDATE: (8-19-12, 11:45 a.m.)

Divers from the Hall County Sheriff’s Office Underwater Search and Recovery Team continue search efforts today for a 44-year-old man who is believed to have drowned in Lake Lanier just after midnight Saturday (Aug. 18), according to Sgt. Stephen Wilbanks of the HCSO.

The team’s activity will be limited to sonar searches only due to heavy weekend boat traffic in the area, which creates hazardous dive conditions. Crews will mark likely sonar targets for closer inspection when dive operations resume on Monday morning.

Jeffrey Nause apparently went into the water from a boat to take a swim, according to deputies who responded to the vicinity of Lake Lanier Islands regarding a report of a drowning. Initial reports indicated that at some point Nause became distressed, went under, and did not resurface.

Sheriff’s investigators and dive team members spent Friday night and the early morning hours Saturday gathering initial information regarding the incident.

They began their searches just after noon Saturday, spending approximately four to five hours in water depths ranging from 70 to 140 feet.

Robin Hill, a public information officer for the Department of Natural Resources, said in an e-mail to Patch, that divers are searching "in an area of the lake that was flooded and has a lot of debris - trees, etc." 

She also said divers from Forsyth County are assisting in the search.

At this time the case is being investigated as an accidental drowning, and remains under investigation by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Criminal Investigations Division.

Original Article: (8-18-12, 7:10 p.m.)

Divers from the Hall County Sheriff’s Office Underwater Search and Recovery Team are searching for a 44-year-old man who is believed to have drowned in Lake Lanier just after midnight Saturday, authorities said.

The man, whose name is being withheld pending next of kin notification, apparently went into the water from a boat to take a swim. The man, at some point became distressed, went under, and did not surface, according to deputies who responded on the scene.

Sheriff’s investigators and dive team members spent the night and early morning hours gathering initial information regarding the incident. They began their searches just after noon today (Aug. 18) in water depths ranging from 70 to 140 feet.

At this time the incident, is being investigated as an accidental drowning, and remains under investigation by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Criminal Investigations Division.

This is the third drowning in Lake Lanier in less than a month. On and on

Stay with Cumming Patch for updates.