AUSTIN, Texas — Texas game wardens have located the body of a missing boat operator, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).
According to TPWD, the body of Jesse Marcus Estes, 44, of Sarita, Texas, was found Sunday.
TPWD said game wardens responded to a single boat accident on the Colorado arm of Lake LBJ Friday afternoon. Game wardens determined that the boat struck a large wave and, as a result, the boat's operator and other occupants were ejected.
Game wardens and first responders were initially able to locate all of the occupants except for the operator.
During the search, more than 12 Texas game wardens assisted and three side scan sonar boats, one dive team boat and a human remains K9 were used. Wardens were assisted by the Burnet County Sheriff's Office, LCRA lake rangers and the Horseshoe Bay Police Department. Additionally, firefighters from Cassie VFD, Lake Buchanan VFD, Kingsland VFD, Sunrise Beach VFD and Hoover Valley VFD assisted.
The human remains K9 on Sunday alerted in the same area where the accident occurred while crews were making a second pass to pinpoint the alert location. Estes' body was then found in close proximity.
An autopsy has not been ordered.
TPWD said the search was complicated due to high boat traffic in the area of the lake where the incident occurred, as well as numerous underwater obstacles, such as manmade debris, large rocks and other natural features that limited sonar effectiveness and diver visibility.
KVUE spoke with one person who has lived along the water for several years now. She said she's noticed the increase in boat traffic around the area.
"The traffic in town is crazy on the weekends," said Hannah Tollefson, who lives in Kingsland. "The traffic on the lake has just increased significantly, so it's been a big change."
There is no word on what exactly caused the wave that the boat struck.
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