CORDELE, Ga. — A search and rescue operation at Lake Blackshear ended in tragedy Saturday afternoon after public safety officials recovered the body of a male around 4:30pm.

Crews from Crisp County, surrounding counties, and game wardens with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) had been searching for the water near Georgia Veterans State Park in Cordele.

The sheriff’s office confirmed the recovery of the male’s body shortly after an intensive search of the area.

Officials say the male originally went into the water around 3 p.m. on Saturday afternoon and failed to resurface.

“We have all available public safety from Crisp County and surrounding counties here with the Department of Natural Resources working this scene,” the sheriff’s office stated during the initial phases of the search.

Witnesses on the scene reported a frantic environment immediately following the incident.

“An 18-year-old boy fell into the lake... he went under and he never came back up,” one witness told WALB News 10. “Everybody’s looking for him.”

The identity of the male is being withheld pending family notification.

WALB News 10 has a crew on the scene and will bring you more updates as they are released.

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