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Wednesday, June 19, 2013 | 11:24 a.m.

Updated: 5:33 p.m. Sunday, June 24, 2012 | Posted: 5:12 p.m. Sunday, June 24, 2012

Boating community offers support as crews resume search for teen in Lake Lanier crash

Jake and Griffin Prince
Supporters are holding a vigil for a local family who lost two young boys in a boat collision, as rangers make another attempt to find the body of the 13-year-old victim who went overboard in the crash.

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Griffin Prince photo
Griffin Prince
Robotic camera photo
Robert Estrada told Channel 2's Dave Huddleston that he called his friend in San Diego to have him ship an underwater robotic camera to Lake Lanier to help with the search.

HALL COUNTY, Ga. —

 

Supporters are holding a vigil for a local family who lost two young boys in a boat collision, as rangers make another attempt to find the body of the 13-year-old who went overboard in the crash.

Crews are working around the clock to recover the body of Griffin Prince. His family wants him to be buried with his brother, 9-year-old Jake Prince, who also died when their family's pontoon boat was hit by a man accused of boating under the influence.

Divers are focusing on an area of the lake, where sonar equipment detected a potential target this weekend.

The FBI will bring in new equipment Monday morning that will allow divers to stay under water for more than six minutes at a time in an effort to complete their search.

Channel 2's Tony Thomas spent the day at Lake Lanier where families headed out on the water with heavy hearts.

In the wake of the tragedy, the Merders said they are compelled to take more precautions on the water.

"You take the tragedies and you have to put a spin on it and come out and try to enjoy, but with responsibilities," Kim Merder said.

While Thomas rode along with Towboat U.S. Captain Robert Estrada, he passed the area where Department of Natural Resources rangers have been searching. They hope more sophisticated equipment will bring them better leads.

"(We'll be) back to full operations tomorrow with all the agencies and other resources coming in to see if we can bring closure for the family," DNR's Sgt. Lee Brown said.

Three local counties are also expected to join Monday's search.

Over the weekend, rangers aimed to enforce safety as part of a national crackdown on drunken boating called Operation Dry Water.

According to the AJC.com, the initiative ended with a total of seven boating under the influence arrests.

Paul Bennett, 44, has been charged with BUI, boating under the influence, in the Prince brothers' case.

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