Crews trying to recover body of Chattooga River Rafter

Oconee County Emergency officials say they have located the body of the missing rafter on the Chattooga River. They say they have confirmed its location after using an underwater camera. The victim has been identified as Thomas Patrick Hill of Florida. Recovery crews are now planning the best way to get the body. Oconee County Fire Chief Charlie King says Hill was with his coworkers on a guided whitewater rafting trip as part of a corporate retreat. Officials have also not identified the company hosting the retreat. Emergency responders say Hill and three other passengers fell from the raft Wednesday afternoon near the Five Falls rapids. King says Hill was trapped in an undercurrent and did not resurface. Guides with the Southeastern Expedition commercial rafting tour said they tried to rescue him several times, but failed. There were six people on the raft, including a guide, at the time of the accident. Southeastern Expedition is one of three companies that the U.S. Forest Service permits to offer whitewater tours on the Chattooga, which is protected as a Wild and Scenic River. Crews returned this morning after dangerously high water conditions forced them to halt Thursday’s search from the Jawbone Rapids to Lake Tugaloo.