A 69-year-old Cannon County man, Robert Lester, drowned last Saturday on the Caney Fork River in DeKalb County. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) officers responded to a call of an overturned kayak just after 11:00 a.m. (CDT), October 28, 2023.

The man and his wife left the Buffalo Valley Boat Ramp by kayak. The man’s kayak struck a tree and flipped. Rescuers searched the area, and the body was found in eight feet of water by Tennessee Highway Patrol helicopter, less than 100 yards from where the man overturned.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb County Rescue, Smith County Rescue, The Army Corp of Engineers, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol assisted in rescue efforts.

Authorities say, the man was not wearing a lifejacket. His body was recovered and taken to the DeKalb County Hospital. This is the 24th boating fatality this year. This incident remains under investigation.