The investigation into the boating accident that led to the death of Nicolas Kayler at Lake Okeechobee will take “a minimum of six weeks,” according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Kayler’s body was discovered by a commercial fishing boat Wednesday morning near Clewiston after nearly a week-long search. The boat was not part of the FWC’s search operation, according to agency spokeswoman Carol Lyn Parrish. She was unsure if the part of the lake where he was found had been previously searched.
“The exact search area would’ve been from C. Scott Driver Park to Pahokee Marina, but part of the process was factoring in the weather,” Parrish said. “We had a lot of wind and the search area was very large.”
Kayler, 38, of Apopka, Fla., went missing Jan. 4 after it is believed the bass boat he was riding in on day 1 of the FLW Series tournament encountered rough conditions that caused him to be ejected into the water. Bill Kisiah, his tournament partner that day, and the boat were recovered later that night near the Pahokee Marina and Campground. Kayler had entered the tournament as a co-angler and Kisiah was a boater.
When asked if Kayler was wearing a life vest when his body was found, Parrish declined to comment, saying details such as that are part of the active investigation. She would not disclose how deep the water was where his body was found.
Parrish also said the findings of the investigation will determine if any charges will be brought against Kisiah.
