Heiskell man identified as missi

LOUDON COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) – The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has released the identity of the fisherman who is missing near Ft. Loudoun Dam following a boating incident.

Eric Mowery, 51, of Heiskell went missing after a boating incident below Ft. Loudoun Dam on Saturday. Wildlife officers say that Mowery and Steven D. Musick, 44, of Jellico were fishing from a fiberglass boat that was pulled into the cascading water from the dam’s spillway.

Both men were wearing personal floatation devices, the TWRA said. Musick went underwater several times but was pulled to safety by nearby fishermen, while Mowery went under and never resurfaced.

The boat emerged heavily damaged, according to the TWRA.

The area immediately below the dam is too treacherous to search due to continued spilling water, so crews are covering as much downstream water and shoreline as possible. So far, search teams have covered about 12 miles of the river.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said Loudon County Homeland Security Marine Rescue, Loudon County Fire and Rescue, Lenoir City Fire Department, Tellico Boaters Assistance Response Team and TWRA searched the river since Saturday, when the man was reported missing.