CHEROKEE, N.C. — An Ohio woman is dead after drowning in the Oconaluftee River near the Smokemont Campground, according to a release from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Park rangers were assisted by emergency responders from Tribal EMS Cherokee Fire and Rescue to recover drowned kayaker, Megan Thompson, 34, on Thursday, Feb. 24, according to officials.
At 2:18 p.m., Thompson’s companions notified park rangers she had disappeared underwater and not resurfaced along the Oconaluftee River near Smokemont Campground, according to the national park.
Witnesses reportedly told officials Thompson floated over swift rapids before being penned between a fallen tree and the riverbank.
At 2:57 p.m., emergency responders freed Thompson’s body and removed her from the river where she was pronounced dead by the medical examiner, according to officials.
Park officials said while drowning is rare, it is still the third leading cause of death in the Smokies, after motor vehicle accidents and plane accidents.
This is the first fatality in the park in 2022 and the 61st drowning on record, according to the national park.
Information about water safety is available on the park's website.
