Nashville, TN – At approximately 8:51pm on Friday, September 18th, 2026, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) game wardens were dispatched to a report of a missing individual near Anderson Beach on Percy Priest Lake in Davidson County, Tennessee.
Preliminary investigation indicates that Eric Olvera Yañez, a 48-year-old male from Lavergne, Tennessee, had been on the lake with friends when he entered the water from the vessel to swim and did not resurface.
Game wardens responded immediately, conducting interviews, collecting evidence, and documenting and securing the vessel involved till about 3:00am Saturday morning. The vessel was subsequently transported to the Boat Incident Investigation compound in Antioch, Tennessee, for further examination.
Mr. Olvera Yañez was not located during initial search efforts on September 18th. A Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) deployment was scheduled for 8:00am on September 19th, to support continued search and investigation operations. Game wardens and Boating Investigators conducted extensive search efforts on September 19th and 20th utilizing side-scan sonar and 2 ROVs.
On Sunday, September 20th, TWRA located Mr. Olvera Yañez using side-scan sonar and the ROV at approximately 12:30pm, recovery by a local dive team followed. This incident remains under investigation and marks the 18th boating-related fatality on Tennessee waters in 2026.
About the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is responsible for protecting, managing, and conserving fish and wildlife species for the benefit of Tennesseans and visitors. The Agency also maintains public safety through law enforcement and safety education on waterways.
