The Smith County Rescue Squad, assisted by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Tennessee Highway Patrol, located the body of a missing kayaker in the Caney Fork River on the afternoon of Saturday, March 28, 2020.
The body has been identified as 38-year-old Jaime Gaeta from Cleveland, Tennessee.
According to the Rescue Squad, the kayaker had been on the river with a group of individuals prior to being reported missing on Friday.
Water rescue operations began on Friday afternoon when the Smith County Rescue Squad deployed boats from both the Gordonsville boat ramp and the Betty’s Island boat ramp.
Rescue operations were suspended when darkness fell on Friday night, but efforts resumed early Saturday morning.
At approximately 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, a THP helicopter was called to the Gordonsville Boat Ramp to assist local rescue personnel. The TWRA also assisted in both ground and aerial search operations.
When the THP helicopter alerted rescue personnel to a possible sighting from the air, the body of the missing kayaker was recovered.
Prior to locating Gaeta’s body, the Smith County Rescue Squad found his kayak with a life jacket still inside.
[wdca_ad id=”11484″ ]
[wdca_ad id=”11404″ ]
