Jacksonville authorities have released details about the possible drowning at Lake Jacksonville.
Morgan County Emergency Management Coordinator Phil McCarty released this statement.
“At approximately 12: 40 pm on June 28th Jacksonville Police Department, Jacksonville Fire Department, Morgan County Sheriff’s Department, Morgan County Dive Team, South Jacksonville Fire Department, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Morgan County Emergency Management, Lifestar Ambulance, and Jacksonville Parks and Lakes responded to a boater in distress in the water. James Ingram, 44, of Manchester was reported missing. The search had to be put on standby at 3pm due to severe weather. The search will resume as soon as the weather passes. Lake Jacksonville is currently closed for boat traffic at until further notice.”
Authorities say that Ingram was alone at the time on the boat but could offer no further details. A severe thunderstorm had begun rolling through the area around 2:45PM. First responders were going to continue the search once lightning had moved from the area.
McCarty explains what search crews will be doing in the near term. “This evening we will suspend search efforts at some points. We don’t know when that will be. It’s all dependent on certain factors that are undetermined. We will work into the night until the time presents itself that it’s time to stop.”
McCarty explains its the first time of search that’s been conducted on Lake Jacksonville in recent memory.