25-year-old man found dead after going missing at Lake Waccamaw

LAKE WACCAMAW, NC (WWAY) — Search crews have recovered the body of a 25-year-old South Carolina man who went missing at Lake Waccamaw.

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission crews located the body of Eric Ross Tuesday morning, according to Columbus County Sheriff Bill Rogers.

Rogers said a boat equipped with sophisticated sonar was brought in to assist with the search.

“We called the wildlife in, the big boat you seen that’s got a very sophisticated sonar system on it,” Rogers said. “It scans 180 feet.”

Rogers said crews established a grid pattern in the area where search boats had been working. The sonar-equipped boat went directly to the location identified by search crews and located Ross in the water within about five minutes.

The search began Monday after Ross’ empty kayak was spotted on the lake.

Rogers said Ross had been kayaking during Labor Day weekend and had been on the lake for several days. On Monday, he stopped at Lynn’s Place, a waterfront convenience store, around 4 p.m. before leaving to head back toward a home near the lake.

Around 4:45 p.m., boaters spotted the empty kayak about 300 yards from a boat landing. They went to check on it and called 911 after finding no one inside. Ross’ belongings were still in the kayak.

Search crews worked into Monday night before stopping around 1:30 a.m. The search resumed Tuesday morning with assistance from multiple agencies.

Crews used sonar, an underwater drone and a cadaver dog in the search.

Rogers said the cadaver dog alerted to an area of the lake Tuesday morning, prompting crews to concentrate their sonar searches there.

Rogers said he was grateful for the agencies and other partners who assisted with the search and recovery.

Officials have not said how Ross entered the water or what led to his death. The circumstances surrounding the drowning remain under investigation.

The lake had been closed to recreational activity during the search, and authorities asked people to stay off the water so boats would not churn the lake and interfere with search operations.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission boat ramp on Canal Cove Road was also closed during the search.

This is a developing story. WWAY will provide additional information as it becomes available.