Lake Allatoona drowning victim's family seeks funeral help
Courtesy of GoFundMe
LILBURN, Ga. - The family of a Lilburn man who drowned at Lake Allatoona over the Fourth of July weekend is asking for the public's help as they prepare to lay him to rest.
PREVIOUS STORY: Lilburn man found dead early Monday after Lake Allatoona drowning
What we know:
Family members identified the victim as 28-year-old Fidel Ojwang. According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Ojwang entered the water from the back of a ski boat near Glade Marina on Sunday afternoon but never resurfaced.
Game wardens, assisted by Bartow County Fire Rescue, searched for hours using boat-mounted sonar before locating Ojwang's body just after midnight Monday in about 60 feet of water. His family has since launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral expenses.
Ojwang's death was one of four drowning fatalities reported across Georgia during the busy Fourth of July holiday weekend.
In its final holiday enforcement report, the DNR said game wardens responded to four drowning deaths, six boating incidents and three injuries between July 3 and July 5. Officers also made 34 boating under the influence (BUI) arrests statewide. Officials said none of the fatalities were the result of boating crashes.
PREVIOUS STORY: 4 drownings, 34 BUIs reported in Georgia over holiday weekend
Lake Lanier recorded the highest number of BUI arrests during the holiday weekend with eight, followed by Lake Allatoona with five.
State officials are reminding anyone heading to Georgia's lakes and waterways to wear a properly fitted life jacket, avoid operating a boat while impaired and use extra caution while swimming, especially during busy holiday weekends.