Dive team recovers body of man who drowned in lake on 4th of July

MADISON COUNTY, Miss. (WLBT/Gray News) - Dive team members recovered the body of a 19-year-old who drowned at Lake Caroline in Mississippi on the Fourth of July.

According to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Jelani Porter jumped off the back of a boat and never resurfaced.

Dive teams from several agencies responded to the lake that afternoon to search for Porter. The search was called off due to inclement weather Monday evening but resumed Tuesday morning, WLBT reported.

The sheriff’s office said Porter was found about 30 yards from the shore using sonar and other imaging equipment.

“Basically, we’ve got a tragic accident where this young man, unfortunately, lost his life in the line of having fun,” Sheriff Randy Tucker said.

Tucker said Porter could swim and did not know why he succumbed. It is unclear if alcohol was involved.

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