Crews search for 31-year-old woman who disappeared in Lake Lanier

HALL COUNTY, Ga. — Investigators from the Department of Natural Resources and Hall County deputies are searching Lake Lanier for a missing woman.

Madeline Sinagra, 31, disappeared on Sunday, when the water was rough with high winds.

“We had white caps out there so the water was real rough,” DNR Sgt. Mike Burgamy said.

Burgamy said she and a friend were on a sailboat when she decided to go for a swim to cool off. She jumped into the water and the strong winds began pushing the sailboat away from her.

TRENDING STORIES:

“The boat was under sail. She jumps in, was supposed to go right to back and get out on the swim ladder,” Burgamy said.

The friend she was with tried to turn the boat toward her. He then jumped in to try and save her, but couldn’t.

“As he was trying to bring the boat around, he saw that she was struggling. And as he saw her go under, he himself jumped off the boat to try to locate her and had to be rescued by a passerby,” Burgamy said.

Cox Media Group