Water News

    Florida Searchers Find Body of 2nd Missing Boater on Lake Jesup

    At around 1 p.m. Friday, Volusia County Sheriff’s Office deputies searching Lake Jesup found the body of Charles T. Jackson, 26, of Deltona – the second of two men who went missing Saturday. Jackson’s body was found floating in the lake about halfway between Black Hammock and Bird Island in approximately 6 feet of water.

    There were no apparent signs of trauma to the body.

    Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers found the body of the other boater, Jason M. Cobb, 30, of Osteen, on Jan. 2, floating about halfway between Bird Island and the north shore of the lake.

    Jackson and Cobb were reported missing a week ago after they did not return home from a boating trip on Lake Jesup. The two men had launched at Lemon Bluff about 5:30 p.m. Dec. 28 and drove the boat across the lake to the Black Hammock fish camp. The two reportedly left Black Hammock in the boat around 1:30 a.m. Dec. 29, heading back to Lemon Bluff but hadn’t been seen since.

    A friend found the empty vessel on the north shoreline of Lake Jesup approximately three-quarters of a mile north of Black Hammock about 12 hours after the two left the fish camp. FWC investigators suspect the men were somehow ejected from the vessel. Two life jackets, two paddles and keys to their truck were found on the boat.

    The Seminole, Volusia and Orange county sheriff’s offices, the FWC and the Guardian Angels from Patrick Air Force Base searched by vessel, helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft and by foot since Saturday afternoon. In addition, hundreds of friends and family of the men organized their own searches.

    “This has been a difficult and frustrating week for the family and friends of Charles and Jason, but this will bring some final closure for everyone,” said Lt. Jeff Hudson, FWC incident commander.

    Logo courtesy Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission