A search on Currituck Sound ended in tragedy Saturday morning when crews recovered the body of a man, one day after he vanished while swimming near a dock at the Poplar Branch boat ramp west of Corolla, authorities said. The swimmer disappeared Friday evening and was located the following morning. Officials have not yet released his identity, and the cause of death remains under investigation.
Where It Happened
According to The Charlotte Observer, Currituck County Communications received a 911 call reporting that a male swimmer had gone under while in the water near the Poplar Branch Boat Ramp off Aydlett. The sheriff’s office shared an update on Facebook, the paper reports, noting that the man did not resurface after entering the water Friday evening.
Location And Ramp Details
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission lists Poplar Branch Boat Ramp as a public boating access site at 101 Poplar Branch Rd in Poplar Branch, according to N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. The ramp is on the mainland west of the Corolla section of the northern Outer Banks, offering a reference point for where the swimmer went missing.
How Crews Located The Body
Per The Charlotte Observer, responders used the sheriff’s boat downscan sonar along with a towable sonar from the Bunyan Fire Department to find and recover the body at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday. Authorities said teams worked together to bring the swimmer to shore, and investigators are now focused on determining what led to the death.
What Officials Say
The Currituck County Sheriff’s Office, which includes Marine Patrol and Search & Rescue units, is leading the investigation. According to the sheriff’s office website, non-emergency and administrative contact numbers and office locations are available for anyone who may have information to share.
