A man has drowned in a popular regional swimming hole, police say.
According to Avery County Sheriff Danny Phillips, his agency was one of several that responded to a call of a missing swimmer at Elk River Falls on Friday morning. A post from the Linville Volunteer Fire Department said that while the call began as a rescue mission, it eventually transformed into a recovery after a body was found nearby. Sheriff Phillips said the victim was identified as Philip D. Williams, 53.
After the mission, a diver working for the Linville VFD began showing symptoms of a “serious medical issue” which prompted an airlift to a nearby hospital. Department spokespersons said the diver is expected to make a full recovery, and did not expand on what symptoms they experienced.