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Body recovered from Lanier identified as woman who disappeared in lake in July
Lake search

The body recovered Oct. 12 in Lake Lanier in Forsyth County has been identified as 31-year-old Madeline Sinagra, according to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.

Sinagra had been missing since July 22, when she jumped off a sailboat into the lake to swim.

A male aboard the boat said Sinagra was attempting to swim back when she became fatigued, Hall County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Stephen Wilbanks said in July. The male tried to throw Sinagra a line but was unsuccessful. He then went into the water in an attempt to rescue her, but was unable to locate her after she went under and did not resurface.

Officials conducted extensive searches of the area between Port Royale Marina in Forsyth County and Old Federal Park in South Hall. The male helped narrow the search, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Derreck Booth said.

Authorities stopped searching for the Atlanta woman after a week and more than 300 sonar scans, Georgia Department of Natural Resources spokesman Mark McKinnon said.

“We scaled back the search beginning (July 28), as we believe we have covered the area as thoroughly as we can with (sonar) equipment,” McKinnon said July 30.

Helicopters, Hall County divers and a cadaver dog were also used during the search, which was assisted by the Army Corps of Engineers, according to McKinnon.

Forsyth County authorities recovered the woman’s body at Two Mile Creek in east Forsyth on Oct. 12.

Cpl. Jenny Belafi of the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said the body was reported by boaters at about 11:45 a.m. after it was seen partially submerged in water near Vann’s Tavern Park. The body was taken to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Lab for identification.

No foul play is suspected, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Times reporter Jeff Gill and Forsyth County News reporter Alexander Popp contributed to this report.