Electric shock drowning occurs when electrical current leaks into surrounding waters
A 24-year-old man died after being electrocuted when he jumped off a dock into Lake Lanier on Thursday, news outlets reported.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources told news outlets that a neighbor was able to pull the man from the water. The man was taken to Northside Forsyth Hospital where he later died.
WAGA-TV reported that the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office identified the man as Thomas Milner.
GEORGIA GIRL ATTACKED BY RABID BEAVER WHILE SWIMMING IN LAKE LANIER
A general view of Lake Lanier is shown on Sept. 12, 2003, in Gainesville, Georgia. A man died after being electrocuted in Lake Lanier on July 27, 2023. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
The sheriff's office told the news outlet that neighbors took a boat over to try to help Milner and one person jumped in the water. That person said that he felt a burning sensation that he recognized as electrical shock. He swam ashore, turned off the power, and then re-entered the water to help Milner.
Electric shock drowning can occur when electrical current leaks into surrounding waters, causing a swimmer to become incapacitated, according to the Electric Shock Drowning Prevention Association, an organization dedicated to raising awareness and educating people on the risks of electric shock in water.