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Search resumes for man missing in Percy Priest Lake after swimming from pontoon boat

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Emergency crews resumed searching Tuesday morning for a man who went underwater while swimming in Percy Priest Lake and did not resurface.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said crews were first called around 4:40 p.m. Monday near the Anderson Beach Recreation Area.

According to a preliminary investigation, a man and woman were on the lake in a pontoon boat when they entered the water to swim, using a single pool noodle for flotation.

While they were in the water, the pontoon boat began drifting away. TWRA said the man tried to swim back to the boat but went underwater and did not resurface.

The woman stayed afloat with the pool noodle and drifted in the water for about an hour before people aboard a passing boat rescued her.

TWRA, the Nashville Office of Emergency Management, Nashville Fire Department and Metro Nashville Police Department searched several areas of the lake using side-scan sonar Monday evening. Officials said crews did not have a confirmed location where the man was last seen, forcing them to expand the search.

The search was suspended around 9:30 p.m. Monday.

Crews were scheduled to return at 8 a.m. Tuesday with additional resources for a large-scale search effort.

The incident remains under investigation.