The search is ongoing for a teenager involved in a kayaking accident in Marion County

The low head dam at Ketner’s Mill, where several kayak accidents have occurred.

MARION COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF)- A search is underway in Marion County for a missing teenage kayaker.

Marion County EMA Director Steve Lamb says a 17-year-old male kayaker was on the Sequatchie River near Ketner’s Mill on Saturday around 3 p.m.

He says at some point it tipped into the river below the dam at Ketner’s Mill.

Since then, a rescue operation has been underway involving numerous agencies throughout Marion County, including a team from Hamilton County STARS.

Lamb says they have encountered difficulties due to the thunderstorms we have seen over the last few days and says there was a delay on Monday morning due to a storm.

This isn’t the first time a kayaker has had trouble on the Sequatchie River.

Lamb said, “It’s not necessarily kayaking, but they are low-head dams. “If you get too close to one of these dams, you’re going to die… You are standing here on the bank and it looks very quiet. The water pours over this small dam and beautiful bubbles form at the bottom. It looks like a picture you would see online, but if you get too close you get sucked in.”

We found a previous incident in our archives in which a 38-year-old Florida man was killed in 20-18 when he was overturned next to the dam.

Ketner’s Mill warns against swimming in the Sequatchie River on its website and has posted warning signs around the dam.

Lamb says the mill remains closed to the public while rescue operations continue and that they are currently assisting the victim’s family with any of their needs.

He said the kayaker was not wearing a life jacket and that anyone paddling on the water should wear one.