Friday night, officials revealed that a student who went missing after a rowing team’s boat capsized Thursday in an Orlando lake following a nearby lightning strike has been found dead.
The student’s body was located at approximately 5:15 p.m. local time on Friday by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit, according to the Orlando Fire Department. The child’s name was not disclosed immediately.
The fire department wrote, “We are extremely saddened by this occurrence and appreciate the efforts of the numerous departments that collaborated over the past 24 hours to assist in the rescue.”
Following the incident on Lake Fairview on Thursday evening, paramedics sent one child to a hospital, while three others were returned home with their parents, Orlando Fire Department Executive Deputy Chief Ian Davis said at an earlier news conference.
Davis stated that the rowing club was on the lake practicing. “There was lightning in the region. We do not know if it actually struck the ship or was merely in the vicinity. The vessel capsized.”
Davis reported that divers and officials from numerous organizations combed a vast region for the missing child. He did not specify which institution the team’s members attend.
.@OrangeCoSheriff helicopter assisting in search for missing Lake Fairview child rower @news6wkmg pic.twitter.com/0OXfQ4rzL8
— Erik Sandoval (@ErikSandoval) September 16, 2022
WESH of Orlando reported that the team was practicing at the North Orlando Rowing facility. Thursday practices for middle school and JV/varsity teams were set between 3:50 and 6:30 p.m., according to the organization’s online calendar.
Davis had stated at a news conference, “We’re going to employ every available diver to try to locate the missing child.”
Crews are expected to continue their search for a missing child near Lake Fairview this morning.
The child and four other students were reportedly rowing when lightning struck the region.
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— Ezzy Castro (@EzzyCastro) September 16, 2022
The Orlando Rowing Club, whose stated aim is to promote rowing in central Florida, put a message on its Facebook page late Thursday night stating, “Rowing community vigil tonight