A Lawrenceville man drowned Friday afternoon in Lake Hartwell after he jumped into the lake to help refasten his son's life jacket.
Mark McKinnon, public affairs officer with the Georgia DNR Law Enforcement Division, identified the victim as Constantin Pascal, 45, of Lawrenceville.
McKinnon said Georgia DNR Game Wardens responded Friday afternoon to the report of a drowning at Paynes Creek Boat Ramp on Lake Hartwell. Statements from witnesses led officials to believe Pascal was pulling his son on a tube from a boat when he noticed the child's life jacket had become unfastened.
Pascal put the boat in neutral and jumped into the water to help his son, but the man did not resurface after entering the water.
A passerby rescued the boy and took him to the boat ramp.
Officials completed vessel searches with SONAR, surface searches and utilized divers in several locations. The Elbert County Fire Dive Team recovered Pascal's body from the lake Saturday evening at about 6:40 p.m. in 43 feet of water.
McKinnon said the Georgia DNR, Hart County Fire, Hart County Sheriff's Office, Anderson County, South Carolina Sheriff's Office Marine Unit and the Elbert County Fire Dive Team were all involved in the search effort.
