AVERY COUNTY, N.C. (WJHL) – A man has drowned in a popular regional swimming hole, police say.
According to Avery County Sheriff Danny Phillips, his agency was one of several that responded to a call of a missing swimmer at Elk River Falls on Friday morning.
A post from the Linville Volunteer Fire Department said that while the call began as a rescue mission, it eventually transformed into a recovery after a body was found nearby.
Phillips said the victim was identified as Philip D. Williams, 53.
After the mission, a diver working for the Linville VFD began showing symptoms of a “serious medical issue” which prompted an airlift to a nearby hospital.
Department spokespersons said the diver is expected to make a full recovery, and did not expand on what symptoms they experienced.
Phillips said no foul play was expected in the incident, and that it appears that Williams was swimming in the falls at the time.