Monday, July 19, 2010
Lawrence Native Dies While Participating In Fishing Tournament
The search for a Lawrence County man and his friend, who disappeared while participating in a fishing tournament Saturday drew to an end Sunday afternoon when their bodies were found at Kentucky Lake.
Samuel Matthew Luffman of Antioch and Donald Harris of Lyles, had been reported missing by family members around 1:00 a.m. Saturday. Officials indicate they were participating in a fishing tournament on Kentucky Lake when they went missing. Their small fishing boat was reportedly capsized, throwing both men into the river.
Search crews reported finding their boat on the Tennessee River Saturday, just north of the Mason Boat Dock in Waverly. A single life jacket was found floating approximately eight miles away.
The search was undertaken by members of the Humphreys County Sheriff’s Department, Humphreys County Fire Department and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. On Saturday the search was concentrated in the area of the Mason Boat Dock and the New Johnsonville area. The search was scaled back overnight, then began again in full force early Sunday.
Although there was much speculation that the boat had been struck by a barge, Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis reports that investigation into the cause of the accident is still underway through the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
Luffman is the son of Lawrenceburg residents Ray and Debbie Luffman.
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