Crews Recover Body Of Missing Lake Norman Swimmer

Emergency workers from three different departments searched and recovered the body of a man who drowned in Lake Norman.

Iredell County sheriff's investigators said Marlowe Demar Young, 35, tried to swim to shore from a pontoon boat around 4 p.m. Saturday. Officer said Young rented the boat from a nearby marina with friends. They anchored the boat 35-feet from Goat Island and tried to swim to shore.

Divers found Young's body Sunday afternoon a few feet from where he was last seen near the island.

A wildlife officer said Young may have gotten a cramp. His friends told authorities he drowned despite their efforts to save him.

This marks the fourth drowning this summer in the Iredell County portion of Lake Norman. Rescue crews said that a lot of the incidents are preventable.

"They don't realize the conditions that they're in and water can kill them," said Tim Conley of Shepherds Fire Department.

Conley didn't know all of the specifics of the Young's case, but he said things like wearing a safety jacket and staying alcohol free must be taken more seriously.

Wildlife Enforcement Officer Ron Robertson said swimming in deep areas of the lake may be too difficult, even though it is legal.

"Anytime we get a lot of rain and the water level goes up, you'll get a lot of debris that starts to move and it's not really safe to try to swim in these areas," said Robertson.

The Iredell County Sheriff's Office said that autopsy results on Young should be released Wednesday.

They said alcohol was likely not involved in the case.