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Hancock man drowns at Perry County’s Rainbow Lake

A 21-year-old Hawesville man died Wednesday, June 30, in a 
drowning incident at Rainbow Lake in the Hoosier National Forest.

Bryan Barnett, Jr., of Hawesville, Ky., was pronounced deceased by the 
Perry County Coroner’s Office following the recovery of his body by 
Conservation Officer divers from the Indiana Department of Natural 
Resources around 7:44 a.m., on Thursday, July 1.

According to a release from the Perry County Sheriff’s Office, Central 
Dispatch received multiple 911 calls around 8:07 p.m., reporting a lost 
swimmer at the lake.

 Multiple agencies were dispatched to the scene with Perry County 
Fire-Rescue arriving within approximately seven minutes of the initial 
call. First responders and investigators quickly determined the 
missing swimmer was still underwater.

Sheriff Alan Malone was among a number of law enforcement officers 
responding to the scene, and reported divers were in the water within an 
hour of the report. Weather conditions and darkness hampered rescue 
efforts, the sheriff said.

 “The search, rescue and recovery efforts continued into the night and 
early this morning,” Malone said. “No foul play is suspected at this time.”

Perry County Coroner Warren Taylor said Thursday an autopsy for Barnett 
was scheduled for Friday, July 2.  Taylor said the incident was 
concerning to him as it was the third drowning at Rainbow Lake in the 
past year or so, and the second of the summer recreation season.

The parking area Forest Service information center has two signs warning 
recreation area users to not jump from the steep cliffs of the former 
rock quarry.

 The search and investigation were multi-agency efforts, which included 
the following emergency response organizations: Perry County Sheriff’s 
Office, Indiana Conservation Officers, Perry County 
Fire-Rescue/Emergency Management, Perry County EMS, and Perry County 
Coroner’s Office.

By C. Josh Givens 
GM/Editor

 DERBY

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