Tennessee diver recovers body of missing Haywood County teen

By Lynn Hotaling

John Yu of the Knox County (Tenn.) Rescue Squad recovered the body of Brian West, 19, of Cruso from 91 feet under the lake's surface, said Ben Clawson, chief of the Jackson County Rescue Squad. West's body was found some 50 yards from where his canoe capsized April 17, Clawson said.

West's body was first seen last Thursday (May 10) with the aid of an underwater camera, Clawson said, but the searchers who discovered it were unable to mark the spot precisely.

Searchers went back to the lake Saturday to resume dragging the area where the body was seen, Clawson said. The decision to dive came after the body was again glimpsed with the underwater camera.

Yu and another member of the Knox County squad were on hand Thursday and returned Saturday to assist with recovery efforts, Clawson said. The Tennessee men first offered their assistance after the teen's father made an appeal for help on a local television station. Kevin Burrell of the Jackson County squad was with Yu when West's body was recovered.

Identification of West's body was made by the Jackson County Sheriff's Department and county medical examiner based on the teen's driver's license photo, said Clawson.

Though West's body was sent to Chapel Hill for autopsy, preliminary reports indicate that drowning was the cause of death, said Detective Jimmy Clawson of of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department. The investigation will continue until a formal determination of cause of death is made by the state medical examiner, he said.

Chief Ben Clawson (Detective Clawson's brother) and the Jackson County Rescue Squad coordinated an intensive search that lasted for almost a week after West disappeared. That effort was scaled back April 23, but the search continued on a limited basis.

West was last seen April 17 when his canoe overturned, spilling him and a friend, 19-year-old Randy Largent of Whittier, into the lake's chilly waters.

The teens were returning from Sols Creek Falls about 5:30 p.m. that day when they encountered rough water and high winds that caused their boat to flip, Ben Clawson said. Largent was able to reach shore on a nearby island by holding on to the capsized canoe.

Just before reaching the shore, Largent heard West call out. When he turned to look back, Largent saw his friend go under, Chief Clawson said.

West went down about 100 yards out in the channel in an area where the water is about 90 feet deep, according to Ben Clawson. Both West and Largent were reported to be excellent swimmers, Chief Clawson said, and neither was wearing a life preserver.

Once on the island, Largent removed his wet clothing and found a spot between two rocks where he could cover himself with leaves to stay warm during the night. He was not rescued until mid-afternoon on Wednesday, April 18, when a passing fisherman found him and took him to the Sheriff's Office in Sylva, Ben Clawson said. Rescue squad members received the call at about 5 p.m. April 18 and began searching an hour or so later, he said.

During the initial search, divers braved water temperatures between 40 and 50 degrees and depths of 75 to 90 feet, Ben Clawson said.

Chief Clawson expressed appreciation to all the area businesses who made donations to support the rescue effort.

A 2000 graduate of Central Haywood High School, West was employed by Smoky Mountain Hydro Test, a Cruso business owned by his family. Darrell West, Brian's father, described the missing teen as a "poet, philosopher, explorer and avid outdoorsman."

Located in Jackson County's Canada community, the 476-acre Bear Lake was constructed by the Aluminum Co. of America as part of Nantahala Power & Light's (now Duke Power, Nantahala Division) East Fork hydroelectric project. Work began Jan. 14, 1952, and the plant came on line March 26, 1954, producing 9,000 kw. It is the second (going upstream) of four power-producing lakes (Cedar Cliff, Bear, Wolf Creek and Tanassee Creek) on the Tuckaseigee River's East Fork.

News Editor Lisa Majors-Duff contributed to this report.

Back to Archive: 05/17/01.