Authorities resumed their search Tuesday for a Lawrenceville man who disappeared Sunday afternoon in the waters of Lake Lanier.
The efforts to find Rohan Mathew, 27, were concentrated on the area east of Shady Grove Campground, between Three Sisters Islands and the mouth of Six-Mile Creek in northeastern Forsyth.
Forsyth County Fire Capt. Jason Shivers said the water temperature is about 40 degrees and ranges from 80 to 120 feet deep.
Rainy conditions kept fire department divers out of the water Monday, Shivers said.
The divers searched the water until about 7 p.m. Sunday, when choppy conditions halted their efforts.
Monday, authorities used sonar to probe the depths of the lake.
They also searched along the shoreline for Mathew, who reportedly slid off a slide on the rear of a houseboat about 2 p.m. Sunday and was unable to swim back to it.
Forsyth County Sheriff’s Capt. Frank Huggins said a friend went in after Mathew, but couldn’t find him.
There were about 10 people on the rented houseboat, which authorities have said was about a half-mile from shore at the time.
The presumed drowning would be the first of the year on Lanier. One of the at least three drownings in 2009 was on the Forsyth County side of the lake.
According to Department of Natural Resources figures, there were five drowning and four boating-related deaths on Lanier in 2008.
Last month, authorities cautioned the public about water safety on the lake after they rescued a man who had fallen off a personal watercraft near Tidwell Park in eastern Forsyth.
The man, who was wearing a life vest, was hanging onto the side of the machine and could not be seen from shore.
While the air temperature has warmed, the water has not this early in the season.
Water that cold can cause a swimmer's body to go into shock, which can lead to cramping and make it nearly impossible to stay afloat.
Check back for updates at forsythnews.com or see the next edition of the Forsyth County News.
Jeff Gill of the FCN regional staff contributed to this report.