Update: Watauga man drowns in Watauga River after kayak capsizes

Published 1:39 pm Tuesday, August 13, 2024

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Brandon Nave, 31, of Watauga, drowned in the Watauga River on the morning of August 12 after his kayak capsized, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).

Nave was not wearing a personal flotation device when he fell overboard in rough water about a half-mile below Wilbur Dam. The incident occurred around 9 a.m. as Nave and another male kayaker were fishing in separate kayaks. Both men overturned in the turbulent water, but while one managed to reach the shore and call 911, Nave remained missing.

Carter County Rescue and the Carter County Sheriff’s Office recovered Nave’s body around 10:10 a.m.

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This tragedy marks the 15th boating-related fatality in Tennessee this year.