73-year-old fisherman drowns

A man who was fishing on Lake Lanier near Lanier Point Park (pictured) drowned late Wednesday. He was identified by the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) as Matthew Mayo, 73, Gainesville.

Spokesman Mark McKinnon said Mayo and his wife were fishing from a boat at the time.

“When the man tried to sit down in the seat, it became unbolted from the floor and caused him to fall into the water,” McKinnon said. “He did not resurface.”

A short time later, he added, game wardens were able to use boat-mounted SONAR to locate the subject in six feet of water.

Hall County Fire Rescue personnel used their ROV (Remote Operated Vessel) to recover the body.