Missing hiker's body found at bottom of Tallulah Gorge

(Courtesy of Georgia Department of Natural Resources)

The search for a missing hiker has ended tragically after his body was found at the bottom of Tallulah Gorge State Park.

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Officials tell FOX 5 they were called about 39-year-old Brookhaven resident William Lang Pottle at the state park Friday around 9:30 p.m.

Investigators found Pottle's vehicle in the parking lot of the park's Interpretive Center but did not see any sign of him on any of the trails around the gorge.

About an hour later, officials located Pottle's body at the bottom of the gorge's Overlook 2 using a drone, but they were unable to get to him due to the lack of light and bad weather conditions.

Saturday morning, rescue crews were able to recover and positively identify Pottle's body.

Investigators are working to identify how the cause of death and how he fell into the gorge.

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