THE SHOALS-Yesterday evening at 9:55 p.m. a pontoon boat carrying eight adults collided with a barge on Wilson Lake near the Wilson Dam. All eight occupants of the pontoon boat went overboard into the water.
Six adults were rescued by the barge crew and transported to ECM Hospital in Florence where they were admitted with non-life-threatening injuries.
The remaining two occupants were reported missing. At approximately 12:30 a.m. this morning, the body of Catherine Ekholm, 79, was recovered from the water by search crews. Sid Elliot, 62, is still missing.
Officials from the U.S. Coast Guard, Lauderdale County EMA, Colbert County EMA, local law enforcement and fire departments, in addition to ALEA’s Marine Patrol Division, are currently working to locate Mr. Elliot. This effort will continue as long as possible.
The U.S. Coast Guard and ALEA Marine Patrol Division are both investigating this incident. This investigation will take an extended period of time, and we are not currently prepared to release any information regarding what may have caused the collision. We will provide an update once Mr. Elliot is located.
MEDIA RELEASE/ALEA News Release/Senior Trooper Johnathan Appling
