The body of a Fultondale man missing for more than a month after a boating accident on Smith Lake was recovered Saturday.
Dustin New, 26, had not been seen Thursday, July 16, when he was involved in the boating accident in the Cullman County area of Smith Lake. Since then, multiple agencies have searched for New, who worked at Birmingham’s Tin Roof and had served as a volunteer firefighter with Locust Fork Fire Department.
Led by ALEA’s Marine Patrol Division, the search teams included the Logan Fire & Rescue, Crane Hill Fire & Rescue, Cullman County Sheriff’s Office, Houston County Search & Rescue, Christian Aid Ministries Search & Rescue, Elite Detection K-9, ALEA Aviation and many others throughout the more than six-week search. More than $14,000 was raised during the search for New.
The searchers used side scan sonar, a towable submersible sonar, cadaver dogs, aerial assets, and dive teams to look for New. ALEA Marine Patrol Northern District Assistant Commander Lt. Chad Pate said the lengthy search was difficult due to water depth, lake bottom conditions, and extreme heat.
The search area was 140 feet deep with standing timber as well as cut timber on bottom.
Pate said divers recovered New’s body from about 90 feet of water in the area where the accident was thought to have happened. Southeast Louisiana Underwater Recover, Logan Volunteer Fire Department and the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team assisted ALEA in Saturday’s recovery.