CHEATHAM COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — Investigations are underway after a deadly barge collision on Cheatham Lake Saturday night.
According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. when a personal watercraft collided with a barge on the lake.
Officials say that Steven White, 36, was operating the personal watercraft when his 8-year-old stepson was riding on the vessel alongside him. The craft struck a barge that was being pushed by a Hines Furlong Line tow boat.
Sebastian Zollinger, 51, activated an alarm on the tow boat and deckhands worked to launch a vessel and assist White and his son. White was found unresponsive and without a pulse by the tow boat deckhands.
White was transported to first responders at the Cheatham Dam Campground boat ramp, where he was later pronounced dead. Both White and his stepson were wearing personal flotation devices at the time of the collision.
The Cheatham County Sheriff's Office, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Army Corps of Engineers, and the United States Coast Guard searched the water for the child until 1 a.m. Sunday morning.
TWRA continued searching throughout the night and a full-scale search continued on Sunday morning at 8 a.m.
According to Cheatham County Sheriff Tim Binkley, the 8-year-old's body was found Sunday evening.
No further information is available at this time.
