COFFEE COUNTY, TN - A tragic accident unfolded this past weekend during a fishing tournament on Normandy Lake in nearby Coffee County, Tennessee. William Henry, a 74-year-old man from Murfreesboro, drowned on Saturday, marking the state's 19th boating-related fatality of the year, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). WGNS' Ron Jordan reported...

The incident occurred shortly before 4:30 p.m. when Henry, participating in the tournament, failed to return for the weigh-in. Fellow anglers grew concerned and initiated a search, discovering Henry’s lifeless body in the water near his boat. According to TWRA, Henry was wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident.

Normandy Lake, officially known as the Normandy Reservoir, is a 3,048-acre body of water managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The details of how the incident occurred remain under investigation and as it is not known if he died of natural causes and then fell into the water, or if he lost his balance in the boat and fell overboard and drowned. However, he was wearing his life jacket when his body was located and the tragic loss has cast a shadow over the local fishing community, and safety on the water remains a significant concern.

Past Statistics from TWRA: The TWRA continues to remind the public of the importance of boating safety and wearing life jackets, especially during recreational activities like fishing. According to statistics from last year, the total number of registered vessels in the Volunteer State stands at 245,449, which is a decrease of over 9,000 boats when compared to the previous year of 2022. Last year, the leading type of accident reported on area lakes were collisions, with 89 collision incidents being reported. Saturday was the most common day for an accident of any nature, to be reported on a lake. In 2023, there were a total of 27 fatalities reported on bodies of water in Tennessee, which is down by 3 when compared to the 29 deaths reported in 2022.