Search teams looking for Mississippi man who fell into Alabama lake, police say

Alabama authorities are searching for a Mississippi man who fell into a lake and is likely to have drowned.

A call for help came in to the Coosa County Sheriff’s Office around 1:30 p.m. Thursday, and police, firefighters, search and rescue teams, and more all rushed to the scene at Lake Martin, according to a sheriff’s office statement.

Though his body has not been found, 20-year-old Vasquez Israel Saavedra is believed dead, and his family was notified of this just three hours after the first 911 call came in.

“The Coosa County Sheriff’s Office along with all other agencies continue their search,” the statement said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Mr. Saavedra.”

Investigators say Saavedra was part of a roofing crew working on a job near the lake, WSFA reported. The men decided to take a break, climbed into a canoe and paddled out from the shore.

At some point, the six men inside stood up to take a picture and the canoe tipped, spilling them into the brackish water, investigators told the outlet.

A specialized search dog is being brought in from Florida to help locate Saavedra’s body, the station reported.