Georgia Man Drowns Near Abrahams Falls

A 73 year old Georgia man has drowned in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Park Rangers were called Friday afternoon about a man who was in the water swimming near Abrahams Falls and could not resurface. Park officials say that Stephen Musser of Roswell, Georgia was swimming in waters that were up to 30 feet deep and got caught in the current at the base of the falls and could not get out, Rangers searched the area by ground around the falls and downstream of the falls with air support from the Army National Guard. At about 9:30 pm, divers with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office Response Team located Musser’s body near the base of the falls…he was entrapped by underwater debris. Musser is the 10th person to drown at Abraham’s Falls and the 60th in the history of the park. Park officials caution that, while swimming in the park is not prohibited, it does pose risks beyond those encountered in lakes or pools. Park streams often have strong, unexpected currents that can hold a swimmer under water and the stream beds are littered with rocks and sunken logs that can snag or entrap a swimmer.