The body of a teenage swimmer who went missing at Jordan Lake on the evening of the Fourth of July was recovered Sunday night just before the search was called off for inclement weather.

A release by the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the news, with the discovery coming almost a full day after the teenager first went missing in the water. Family of the swimmer reported them missing at approximately 6:30 p.m. after they had trouble in the water while attempting to return to a boat during a family outing. Authorities began searching the lake soon after.

After suspending its search overnight on Saturday, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office and supporting agencies restarted their search on Sunday. As the groups prepared to suspend the search in the afternoon amid heavy rain and storms, a North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission officer located the body of the missing swimmer, according to a release shared Sunday night.

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office said out of respect for the family and because the victim is a juvenile, it will not publicly identify the victim.

“Our hearts are with this young person’s family, friends and loved ones during this very difficult time,” said Chatham County Sheriff Mike Roberson in Sunday night’s release. “We are grateful to the many agencies and personnel who dedicated their time, expertise and resources throughout this search.”

The sheriff’s office shared its appreciation to the North Chatham Fire Department, Alamance County Rescue, FirstHealth EMS, Chatham County Emergency Management, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and North Carolina State Parks for their assistance in the search and response on Saturday and Sunday.

The death marks the second reported drowning at Jordan Lake in 2026, after a Chapel Hill man drowned on June 15 while trying to retrieve a boat that was floating away. The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office also recovered the body of a person reported missing amid mental health troubles on May 18.

Featured image via Chatham County Sheriff’s Office

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