22-year-old dies trying to swim back to shore with friends at Lake Lanier

August 22, 2023 at 11:50 am EDT

August 22, 2023 at 11:50 am EDT

HALL COUNTY, Ga. — A young swimmer has died after rescue crews pulled him from Lake Lanier.

Hall County Fire Rescue received a call about a possible drowning and responded to Van Pugh Park around 6:40 p.m. on Monday.

The sheriff’s office said 22-year-old Bryan Tarasona and two friends were swimming when he tried to return to shore and went under. The rescue team arrived and located him using sonar.

A remote-operated vehicle pulled Tarasona to the surface and an ambulance took him to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in critical condition.

The Hall County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Tuesday that Tarasona died Monday night around 8:30 p.m.

Van Pugh Park is the same area of Lake Lanier where a 27-year-old drowned last month. Leonardo Martinez, a boat mechanic, disappeared while swimming on July 29.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources game wardens found Martinez on August 3. His body was floating on the surface about 30 yards from the shore.