PUTNAM COUNTY, Ga. – The Putnam County Sheriff’s Workplace launched its largest search effort but at Lake Oconee on Saturday in an try to find Gary Jones. The Atlanta instructor has been lacking since Feb. 8.
What we all know:
Jones was final seen on the lake together with his fiancée, Joycelyn Wilson, in a small fishing boat. Her physique was found on Feb. 9, however Jones stays lacking.
The search operation included eight divers and a number of other cadaver canine groups from Florida and Georgia, working alongside Putnam County sheriff’s deputies and a Division of Pure Sources helicopter.
The search groups additionally utilized sonar to research. Regardless of conducting 11 dives on 9 recognized targets, they discovered no traces of Jones wherever.
Gary Jones (Credit score: Westminster Athletics)
Circumstances worsen throughout seek for Gary Jones
What they’re saying:
“Immediately was the largest effort we put forth but, actually, so far as variety of folks,” stated Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills. “I have been a police officer of some type for over 50 years, and that is the largest effort I’ve ever seen on a drowning case like this to get better a physique. We have folks right here from South Carolina, from Georgia, from Florida.”
Buck Buchanan of Dive 9-1-1 stated murky lake waters provided lower than a foot of visibility.
“We now have nearly lower than a foot of visibility. So in case you put your hand out in entrance of you, squint actual laborious in a darkish closet,” Buchanan defined.
Excessive winds, with gusts reaching as much as 30 miles per hour, additionally additional difficult the search.
“They stated we have had like 30 miles an hour gusts. It appears to be like like we have about 25 miles an hour sustained proper now. So, it is develop into type of not possible for the canine to work,” Sills famous.
Laurence Walker of the United Cajun Navy described how the winds created swells as much as two ft excessive, affecting the accuracy of sonar tools.
“The waves bouncing up and down. It makes the sonar not that correct, too, as a result of it is similar to holding the digicam, like making an attempt to take an image. With the digicam leaping up and down so that you get blurred pictures,” Walker stated.
Gary Jones’ college students attain out
What we all know:
Earlier this week, a few of Jones’ college students despatched thank-you playing cards to the search and rescue groups. Walker expressed how these gestures of gratitude inspire the volunteers.
“I obtained three of them, and I learn one, and it took me a few days to learn the second. And that is the explanation I am right here, man,” he stated.
What’s subsequent:
The search groups plan to renew their efforts at 7 a.m. Sunday, hoping for calmer winds and probably extra divers becoming a member of the search.
Search efforts proceed at Lake Oconee for Gary Jones on March 1, 2025.
What occurred to Gary Jones?
The backstory:
Gary Jones and his fiancée, Joycelyn Wilson, have been celebrating his fiftieth birthday after they vanished.
The couple had checked right into a lodge close to Lake Oconee earlier than heading straight to the water.
Roughly two hours later, boaters found their empty fishing boat idling on the lake, setting off a widespread search operation.
Authorities are treating this as a loss of life investigation as they work to find out what occurred.
Wilson’s physique was discovered useless within the water on Feb. 9, close to the place Jones’ sneakers and private belongings have been recovered.
The Supply: FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Eric Mock interviewed the search groups serving to search for lacking instructor Gary Jones at Lake Oconee on March 1, 2025.Info for this story got here from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Workplace, Dive 911 and the United Cajun Navy together with earlier stories from Fox 5 Atlanta.
