Body of missing boater recovered after overnight Quitman County search
Sonar and divers found a missing boater after an overnight search drew county and state teams into Quitman County waters. Authorities have not released the victim’s identity.
A missing boater was recovered in Quitman County after crews worked through the night and into Sunday morning, pulling together local, county and state responders in a recovery effort that depended on a rescue boat, sonar and dive teams.
The search began Saturday, April 18, 2026, and resumed at daybreak Sunday, April 19. The Panola County Water Operations and Dive Team said Quitman County requested assistance that day, while the Coahoma County Fire Department said it was called Sunday morning to provide a rescue boat after the operation had already been under way for hours.
Agencies that took part included the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, the Tallahatchie County Emergency Management Agency, the Tallahatchie County Sheriff’s Department, Coahoma firefighters, the Crowder Fire Department, Mississippi Game and Fish and the Panola Dive Team. Officials said sonar technology was used to locate the victim in the water, and divers from the Panola Dive Team and Mississippi Game and Fish recovered the body.
The overnight response showed how quickly a water emergency in Quitman County can become a regional operation. With multiple departments crossing county lines, crews relied on mutual aid to keep searching after dark, then picked back up at first light when conditions allowed the recovery to continue. Authorities have not released the victim’s identity.
The Coahoma County Fire Department said it was grateful for the collaboration of the agencies and volunteers involved and extended condolences to the family. For boaters on Quitman County waterways, the case is a reminder that trouble on the water can escalate fast, especially once visibility fades and a search shifts from rescue to recovery. Life jackets, a charged phone or radio, and a float plan with someone on shore can buy time when every minute matters. In an emergency, call 911 immediately and give the location, number of people involved and a description of the boat.
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