Body of Kayaker Found in Georgia River
April 27, 2020
By Asia Simone Burns, The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
The body of a kayaker has been found
days after he disappeared on the Ocmulgee River in Butts County, officials
said. The Georgia Department of Natural
Resources recovered the body of De’vonte B. Griffieth about 2:30 p.m. Monday,
according to spokesman Mark McKinnon. Griffieth, 23, of McDonough, was reported
missing Saturday afternoon after he went underwater and did not resurface,
McKinnon said.
On Saturday evening and Sunday,
searchers walked along the banks of the river and divers used sonar equipment
to try to locate the man. The river is higher than usual, and the swift current
made the search more difficult, McKinnon said. Griffieth’s body was found in 19
feet of water near where he first went under, McKinnon said.
Monroe County divers find missing
boater's body in Butts County creek
by Brittany Miller Fox 24 ABC 16 WGXA
Monday, April 27th 2020
BUTTS COUNTY, Ga. -- DNR confirms they
recovered the body of 23-year-old De'Vontae Griffieth, Monday afternoon. Public
Affairs Officer Mark McKinnon with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources,
says Griffieth's body was found in 19 feet of water, not far from where he went
under near Wise Creek. Monroe County divers located the body and DNR turned the
body over to the Butts County Coroner.
Monday marked the third day in the
search of the Ocmulgee River for the missing kayaker. De'Vontae Griffieth, of McDonough, was
last seen on Wise Creek near Mt. Pleasant Church Road in Butts County. Griffieth
was with a group of four other kayakers when his boat flipped over Saturday
afternoon. Search and rescue crews received the call around 3 p.m. According to
DNR Sergeant Travis Sweat, Griffieth could not swim. The group did have life
jackets, according to authorities, but were not wearing them.
Crews were staged in Jasper County near
Highway 83 to gain access to the river. DNR Public Information Officer Mark
McKinnon says the search began at 7 a.m. Monday morning.
