Atlanta Man Dead On Lake Lanier

Photo credit: David McBee / Pexels

As the nice weather facilitates more people out on the water, the deaths continue for Lake Lanier. Georgia officials confirm that an Atlanta man died while swimming in Lake Lanier over the weekend.

Edgar Steven Cruz Martinez, 23, visited the lake on Saturday, August 26, 2023 and went under the water for a swim. About 3 p.m. that day, first responders with the Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office arrived after receiving a call about a possible drowning at Lake Lanier.

When they arrived, observers said that Martinez never resurfaced after going for a swim. Officials found his body in about 10 feet of water.

Martinez is the seventh person to drown in Lake Lanier this year.

Why Do So Many People Drown In Lake Lanier?

One of the reasons Lake Lanier has so many fatalities year in and year out is that people fail to follow safe boating practices, according to safety officials. Boating under the influence continues to be an issue on the man-made lake. People boating without safety vests on also has been frequently observed.

There are also some curious incidents that have occurred on the lake that have raised questions about its past. Read our Untold History of Lake Lanier.

Tee Johnson: Tee Johnson is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AtlantaFi.com, Atlanta’s independent hyper-local publication focused on news, restaurants, events, jobs, neighborhoods, and lifestyle. A 15+ year Atlanta resident and longtime journalist and content creator, she covers Travel News, Events, Business, Hair Care, and Money with a practical, Atlanta-first lens. Before launching the site, Johnson worked as a substitute teacher in Atlanta Public Schools and later in corporate roles at Home Depot’s Vinings offices. A marketer by training with a degree in business management, she grew frustrated with the fragmented, hard-to-find information about what was actually happening in the city. That gap led her to create AtlantaFi as a curated, one-stop resource for the pulse of Atlanta—#ATLHAPS—without the national noise. Editorial decisions remain independent; the publication does not accept products, meals, or services in exchange for coverage. As Editor-in-Chief, she oversees original local reporting and curated practical guides that help residents, visitors, and businesses discover and engage with the city. Readers turn to her work for timely event roundups, dining and neighborhood insights, business and travel updates, and straightforward money and lifestyle coverage grounded in firsthand observation of Atlanta. A devoted lover of all things Atlanta, Tee enjoys pickleball, a good margarita or bourbon, and walking the Atlanta Beltline. She can be reached for editorial inquiries at tjohnson@atlantafi.com (serious inquiries only).

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