COLUMBIA, S.C. — Search crews have recovered the body of a diver who went missing along Lake Murray several days ago.
A spokesperson for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) says the man was found Sunday morning around 10:30 a.m. near where he initially went missing. The water in that area is about 130 feet deep.
Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher has identified the missing diver as Paul Lloyd Lunsford, 54, of Chapin.
SCDNR and the coroner's office are continuing to investigate what led up to the death.
An autopsy has been scheduled at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston on January 4.
Authorities told News19 previously that Lunsford was first reported missing near the towers at the dam on Lake Murray around 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) also joined in assisting with the search as did Newberry County Rescue. The search included the use of SLED'S remote operated underwater vehicle (ROV) which allows rescue teams to penetrate the murky waters near the dam.
