Bodies of Missing Boaters Recovered After Pickwick Lake Crash

Crews have recovered the bodies of two boaters who went missing Saturday night following a collision on Pickwick Lake in Colbert County, authorities confirmed. Colbert County Sheriff Eric Balentine said one body was recovered shortly after the crash, while the second was found Monday morning after crews resumed search efforts. Recovery operations took place late Saturday, throughout Sunday, and again Monday until the search concluded. According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), the accident occurred around 9:15 p.m. Saturday when an aluminum fishing boat collided with a commercial tugboat. Both people on board the smaller vessel were thrown into the water. Troopers with ALEA’s Marine Patrol Division and Aviation Unit assisted in the search, along with multiple other agencies. The U.S. Coast Guard is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash.