CLAYTON — The Rabun County Sheriff’s Office reports that a man missing since the weekend in the wilderness off Highway 28 South, Clayton, was found dead Wednesday afternoon.
Searchers found the body of Eric Tench, 38, of Walhalla, S.C., just before 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, though it took another six hours to recover him.
Rabun County Sheriff’s Office investigators and Rabun County Coroner Sam Beck met at the command post on Highway 28 South at Burrells Ford Road, then drove several miles in on Burrells Ford Road and got on ATVs, traveling in an old roadbed for 1.6 miles, according to Rabun County officials.
The 10 team members left the ATVs and walked the rest of the distance on foot, arriving at the location where Tench was found at 5:23 p.m., according to Rabun County Sheriff’s Office reports.
Following the on-scene investigation, the body was removed in a basket by a long line suspended from a helicopter at about 7:45 p.m.
Beck met with Tench’s family members, then met the helicopter at the landing zone.
Foul play is not suspected in Tench’s death, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The search for Tench had been ongoing since he was reported missing over the weekend. The last contact with Tench was about 2 a.m. Saturday, May 19.
Tench was training bear dogs on U.S. Forest Service property in some of the most rugged terrain in Rabun County, state and local officials have said.
