The body of a boater missing in the Tennessee River since early Friday morning was recovered that afternoon after an intensive search. Rescue squads from several counties converged on Loudon to help look for the missing man after the boat he was on hit a barge.

According to officials, at approximately 2:30 a.m., two men and a minor, reportedly from North Carolina, were fishing in the river when their boat ran into a barge near river mile marker 591. All three were thrown into the water after the collision. One man and the minor were able to swim to shore but the body of the other man was not found until later that afternoon. Police have not released the name of the victim pending notification of family. 

Speaking Friday morning as rescue boats slowly trolled along the river, Loudon Fire Chief Mike Brubaker said the boaters were "from out of the area" and their families were just arriving after being notified of the accident. The Loudon County Rescue Squad was assisted by several other area agencies. 

On the scene were men and boats from Roane, Blount and Knox Counties as well as officers and boats from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). Brubaker said TWRA would be investigating what happened and how the barge and the boat collided as well as helping in the search and recovery operation. 

After a preliminary search at first light, crews began a systematic search of the water and the shoreline. "We're just getting started," Brubaker said that morning as he and the county's Emergency Management Director Gordon Harless stood on the river bank near the Senior Center coordinating the arriving search teams from other counties. Brubaker said some of the agencies who responded to the call for help brought rescue boats, divers and sonar. 

Brubaker initially held out hope the missing boater was still alive and emergency workers continued to call the operation a resuce through the day.

"It was a bad outcome," Brubaker said after the body was found, but he acknowledged that at least the man's family wouldn't have to wait and wonder another night.