Drowning in Great Smoky Mountains

A 27-year-old Connecticut man has become the fourth person to die in Great Smoky Mountains National Park this year. The man, whose name has not yet been released, drowned while swimming in the large pool at the base of Abrams Falls.
He was last seen about 4:45 yesterday afternoon when his friends saw him swimming towards the base of the falls. This morning rangers, aided by three scuba divers from outside the park, recovered his body.
On average, Great Smoky records six deaths a year. Motor vehicle accidents are the main contributor to that number, with drownings being the second leading cause. The park's last drowning was recorded in April 2004 when a 13-year-old boy on a school outing drowned in the same pool below Abrams Falls.