The Tennessee Wildlife Resources agency reports the body of a missing boater has been recovered on Douglas Lake in Jefferson County.
On Sunday around 4:30 pm, 44-year-old Yoser G. Rojas Valverde, of Sevierville, went missing in the area of Indian Creek after entering the water from a pontoon boat. Witnesses reported that he struggled to stay afloat, went under, and did not resurface.
Late Monday morning, TWRA officers located Rojas Valverde’s body in 18 feet of water using a Remote Operated Vehicle. Divers from the Carter County Rescue Squad recovered the body at approximately 11:35 am.
The incident is under investigation by TWRA and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
This marks the 17th boating-related fatality on Tennessee waters in 2025.
