ORLANDO, Fla. – The bodies of two boaters found in Lake Hiawassee on Monday afternoon have been identified.
Orlando police identified the men as Antonio Maurice Payne, 46, and Steven Lavell Nichols, 48.
Police recovered their bodies Monday afternoon, a day after the men disappeared on the lake.
Officials said the search began around 4 p.m. Sunday after the discovery of an overturned boat in the middle of the lake. The boat contained fishing equipment, police said.
The dive team said it searched the area and found a wallet and other personal items that belonged to one of them. A truck at the lake that was possibly used to launch the boat belonged to the other man, officials said.
Family members said the men were skilled boaters.
It's not known if weather played a role in the men's disappearance.
Sonar equipment and a helicopter were used in the search, police said.
Family members look out into Lake Hiawassee, tearfully, in case of two missing boaters. Personal items found in water. #news6 pic.twitter.com/jVbd7Can7y
— Sachelle Saunders (@SachelleOnAir) July 10, 2017
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