The investigation continues into Saturday’s boating accident that claimed the life of an 18-year-old swimmer on Fort Loudon Lake.
At around 6:30 p.m., Chadwick Feddersen, also 18, of Knoxville, was operating a personal watercraft with a passenger on board near the Cove at Concord Park on Turkey Creek in Knoxville. Swimming nearby from a boat was 18-year-old Steven Corum, who was at the lake with Mr. Feddersen and several other friends. At some point, the PWC being operated by Mr. Feddersen struck Mr. Corum who disappeared under the water.
Initial reports came in that the PWC operator then fled the scene. However, while TWRA had trouble locating Mr. Fedderson at the scene upon arrival, the accident is not being considered a hit-and-run incident. A young lady whose father owned the PWC took control of it after the accident and operated it to her nearby waterfront home.
Rescue crews from Knoxville Fire and Rescue, Knox County Volunteer Rescue, and Rural Metro Ambulance joined TWRA in the search for the victim until a threatening thunderstorm forced crews to temporarily suspend the effort around 10 p.m.
When the search resumed, a TWRA investigator arrived with a remote-operated vehicle (ROV) and at around 11:30 p.m., a witness from the incident accompanied TWRA officers back to the scene to pinpoint an accurate location.
Within 30 minutes, the victim was located using the ROV and, at around 1:30 a.m., divers from the Knox County Volunteer Rescue Squad recovered the body of Mr. Corum from a water depth of 15 feet.