The Memorial Day Weekend turned to tragedy for a group taking a holiday pontoon ride on Weiss Lake when one of their members went for a swim and never returned.

According to reports, rescue crews recovered the body of Paul Clarke Cooke, 44, from Iowa around 4:41 p.m. Monday afternoon, May 28.

Alabama Marine Police Officer Rick Sides said the Cherokee County Rescue Squad recoverd the body just a few feet away from where witnesses reported seeing the victim. At the time, Cooke and others were on a pontoon boat at the south end of the diversionary channel at Leesburg when Cooke joined two other individuals and jumped into the water for a swim.

While two of them resurfaced, Cooke never did. The water in that location was estimated to be approximately 23 feet, reports said.

The incident occurred Saturday, May 25, around 5:45 p.m. and 9-1-1 received the first call around 6:15 p.m.

The Cherokee County Rescue Squad, Alabama Marine Police, Leesburg Police and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office along with assistance from the Piedmont Rescue Squad took part in the search, which began after receiving the inital call, reports said.