Body of second missing boater recovered in Lake Jesup

By Pat Andrews
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Jan 3, 2013 - 12:26:16pm

UPDATE 4 P.M. FRIDAY, JAN. 4 — At around 1 p.m. today, Friday, Jan. 4, Volusia County Sheriff’s Office deputies searching Lake Jesup found the body of Charles T. Jackson, 26, of Deltona — the second of two men who went missing Saturday, FWC spokeswoman Joy Hill reported.

Jackson’s body was found floating in the lake about halfway between Black Hammock and Bird Island in approximately 6 feet of water.

As it was with the body of Jason Cobb that was found Jan. 2, there were no apparent signs of trauma to the body.

“This has been a difficult and frustrating week for the family and friends of Charles and Jason, but this will bring some final closure for everyone,” said Lt. Jeff Hudson, FWC incident commander.

PREVIOUSLY REPORTED — The body of one of two boaters reported missing on Lake Jesup was found about 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 2.

The body of Jason Cobb, 30, of Osteen, was found floating in about 6 feet of water near Bird Island.

"There were no apparent signs of trauma to the body," Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman Joy Hill said.

Cobb and another boater, Charles T. Jackson, 26, of Deltona, were reported missing on Dec. 29 when they did not return home from a boating trip on Lake Jesup. Jackson is still missing.

The men launched a boat at Lemon Bluff about 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 28, and traveled across the lake to Black Hammock fish camp. Then, the two left Black Hammock around 1:30 a.m. Dec. 29 to return to Lemon Bluff.

Cobb and Jackson never made it back to Lemon Bluff, and were reported missing when they did not return home.

A search mission, led by FWC, along with specialists from the Seminole County Sheriff's Office and the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, began. Officials used boats, a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft, and searched on foot. They dredged the lake's murky waters. Hundreds of friends and family members of the men searched as well.

About 12 hours after the two men were last seen, a friend found the empty boat about three-quarters of a mile north of Black Hammock, on the north shoreline of Lake Jesup, Hill reported.

"FWC investigators suspect the men were somehow ejected from the vessel. There were two life jackets, two paddles and keys to their truck found on the boat," she stated.

On Monday, Dec. 31, the rescue mission turned into a recovery mission – meaning that officials no longer expected to find the men alive.

Then, on Jan. 2 came the discovery of Cobb's body.

The search for Jackson is continuing, Hill said.

— Pat@beacononlinenews.com

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