Marion County search continues for man who fell in Tennessee River

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

photo The Highway 41 bridge replacement project.
Arkansas-Ole Miss Live Blog

Search teams have resumed efforts to find the body of a construction worker who fell into the Tennessee River Monday in Marion County.

"It's gone from a rescue to a recovery," said Marion County Sheriff Ronnie Burnett.

He said the man is believed to have fallen around 12:30 p.m. CST while stepping from one barge to another at a bridge project on Highway 41.

The worker, who has not been named, was wearing a tool belt weighing about 100 pounds and, while he was wearing a life preserver, it was not completely fastened and came off when he hit the water, Burnett said.

Rescue teams from Marion, Hamilton, and Franklin counties used sonar to search for the man until 2 a.m. this morning, but "the water was so swift yesterday that they were having problems," Burnett said.

He added that he hopes the TVA can help reduce currents on the river today. Recovery efforts resumed around 8 a.m. this morning.