High winds and severe storms hit as Florida man vanishes on Georgia lake
Missing man last sheltered under Carters Lake dock
Authorities are searching a two-square-mile area around Carters Lake by air and water for 37-year-old Sean Cunningham.
GILMER COUNTY, Ga. - Emergency crews are searching the air and water around Carters Lake in North Georgia to find a 37-year-old Florida man who disappeared during severe storms late Tuesday night.
Search at Carters Lake
What we know:
Multiple law enforcement agencies are searching about two square miles of Carters Lake in Murray and Gilmer counties for Sean Cunningham.
Officials said the 37-year-old Florida resident took off from Woodring Campground on the lake and was last heard from late Tuesday night while taking cover from severe storms.
Cunningham told a friend he was sheltering under a dock after having trouble paddling his green canoe against heavy winds on the lake.
Officials are using boats, helicopters, drones, sonar and K-9 units in their search. They have recovered Cunningham's backpack, but his canoe remains missing and is believed to have sunk.
Ongoing search efforts
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet confirmed Cunningham's location or the exact status of his canoe. It remains unknown what his full travel plans were on the lake before the severe weather hit.
Working with family
What they're saying:
Georgia Department of Natural Resources Lt. Adam Loudermilk said investigators are considering all possibilities while working around the clock to bring answers to Cunningham's family.
"Right now, it's still a missing person because we have no positive information that he is in the water, so we're still looking at all different avenues to try to locate where he may be," Loudermilk said.
He added that officers are staying in touch with family members who traveled to the lake to assist with information about his plans.
"We're trying to cover the areas that he was known to be in, the area he was going, the points in between, also where the backpack was located," Loudermilk said.
What you can do:
Authorities ask anyone who may know where Cunningham is or who has information about his location to contact the Georgia Department of Natural Resources or local law enforcement immediately.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Georgia DNR Lt. Adam Loudermilk, who provided updates on search operations and family communications, as well as drone video and reporting from the scene.