OKEECHOBEE, Fla. – The body of a veteran fisherman who went missing during a tournament on Florida's Lake Okeechobee has been found.
Area news outlets report 38-year-old Nik Kayler was found dead Wednesday after nearly a week of searching. He was reported missing last Thursday when he and his fishing partner, 51-year-old William Kisiah, failed to return to a contest weigh-in area.
A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman says preliminary information indicates Kayler was thrown from the boat when it was hit by a wave.
Kisiah told authorities that he couldn't rescue Kayler because of engine problems and conditions. He eventually made his way to a marina and was subsequently hospitalized with hypothermia.
The veteran fishermen were competing in the Fishing League Worldwide's 3-day Costa Series tournament.
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