KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A Sweetwater man is dead following a boating accident on Watts Bar Reservoir on Feb. 27.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency shared that first responders went to Watts Bar Reservoir around 1 p.m. on Friday after a 911 call reporting an unconscious man in the water. Officers learned that 65-year-old Steven Hayes was fishing from the back of a small boat while another man was at the front of the boat.
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According to TWRA, the other man told officers that he heard a splash and saw Hayes struggling in the water. He continued that he threw floatation devices to Hayes and attempted to lead Hayes toward shallower water.
When first responders arrived on the scene, Hayes was unconscious in eight feet of water. Life-saving measures were attempted, but were unsuccessful. Hayes was then taken to Rhea County Medical, where he was pronounced deceased. The TWRA said he was not wearing a life jacket and the water temperature at the time of the incident was 48 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Rhea County EMS, Fire and Rescue, Rhea County Sheriff’s Office, and Meigs County Fire and Rescue also responded to the accident. TWRA added that this was also the first first boating-related death in 2026…