Last Updated on May 9, 2026 1:55 pm
A Boone man died Friday evening after falling overboard on Watauga Lake in Carter County, Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
The victim has been identified as Alexander C. Luster, 36, of Boone.
Authorities responded to the Rat Branch boat ramp on Watauga Lake Friday evening after a caller reported that the operator of a vessel had fallen overboard in the no-wake zone and did not resurface. Luster was participating in a bass tournament and fell overboard prior to the start of the event.
Using a remote operated vehicle and Carter County Rescue Squad divers, authorities located Luster's body at approximately 11:35 p.m. Friday.
The investigation remains ongoing and an autopsy has been ordered, according to TWRA.
Watauga Lake is located in Carter County, Tennessee, in the mountains along the North Carolina border.
