BENTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A man has died following a boating accident that occurred in Benton County.

On Saturday, May 13, crews were called to the Big Sandy area following reports of an incident where a boat had flipped with a man onboard, officials said.

Based on the preliminary investigation, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) said a 24-year-old man from Big Sandy — whose name has not been released — was operating a 12-foot jon boat on Kentucky Lake when it capsized just out from the Big Sandy boat ramp.

According to officials, the operator was not wearing a life jacket, so he submerged below the surface.

The Benton County Sheriff’s Office dispatch reported that citizens tried to find the man before first responders arrived by jumping into the water and getting out their personal boats.

Crews with the Benton County Rescue Squad later located the man after dragging the bottom of the water. Benton County’s sheriff said the body was recovered on the Big Sandy River near an area called Boat Dock Road.

In a social media post, the Benton County Rescue Squad stated, “Our prayers are with the family.”

According to the TWRA, this marks the ninth boating-related fatality of 2023 on Tennessee waterways, coming just one day after the previous death.

The Benton County Sheriff’s Office, the TWRA, the Benton County Rescue Squad, the Big Sandy Fire Department, and EMS all responded to the scene.

No other information has been released about the incident, which is under investigation by the TWRA.