73-year-old North Carolina man drowns in Smith Mountain Lake

UNION HALL, Va. (WSET) – A North Carolina man died Saturday night after falling into Smith Mountain Lake.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office said a 911 call came in around 7:40 p.m. about a person who had fallen into the water at Magnum Point Marina. The man had not reappeared when the call was made.

SEE ALSO: ‘They were loved’: Hundreds gather to remember two Martinsville teens who died in car crash

When the sheriff’s office responded to the Smith Mountain Lake area, they found a body in the water. The man was recovered and pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim has been identified as Stephen Sykes, 73, of Littleton, North Carolina.

The sheriff’s office said the death appears to be the result of an accidental fall, but the investigation remains active.