Boone fisherman fell in water prior to Watauga Lake tournament

A North Carolina man at Watauga Lake for a weekend fishing tournament had years of experience on the water prior to his fatal drowning in Carter County, according to family and friends on social media.

The body of Alexander Luster, 36, of Boone, was recovered by divers with the Sheriff’s Office just before midnight Friday.

The TWRA report said Luster fell overboard near a no wake zone at the Rat Branch boat ramp prior to the start of the event and never resurfaced. It is not known if Luster was wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident.

State officials this marked the eighth boating fatality on Tennessee waters this year.

(IMAGE: A. LUSTER / OFFICIAL FACEBOOK)