Young Woman Drowns During Hartwell Striper Tournament

A boat with four anglers onboard competing in a Lake Hartwell striped bass tournament sank Saturday morning, Jan. 11 near Sadlers Creek State Park. A young woman did not survive.

A Lake Hartwell striped bass fishing tournament ended in tragedy Saturday morning, Jan. 11, when a competitor’s boat with four anglers onboard sank. A 25-year-old woman from Aiken, S.C. did not survive. The Anderson County (S.C.) Corner’s office identified the young woman as Kimberely Gomillion.

According to statements from officials, Gomillion was fishing the tournament with her boyfriend and members of his family, which included a young boy, when the boat began to sink. They contacted tournament staff, who alerted first responders and went in their boat to the scene near Sadlers Creek State Park, located on a peninsula that juts out into the main body of Hartwell between the dam and the mouth of the Tugaloo River. One angler was able to swim to shore, and three were still in the water when the other boat arrived. Anderson County EMS and officers responded to the scene around 9:40 a.m. EMS declared three of the four people OK at the scene, but first responders had to perform CPR on the fourth woman. She was taken to a hospital but did not survive. According to the coroner, Gomillion died due to drowning and her death has been ruled as accidental.

GON reached out to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, who is investigating the incident, but no details are yet available on why or how the boat sank. According to weather data, the air temperature in Anderson, S.C. at 9 a.m. that morning was 34 degrees, and winds were out of the south-southwest at 5 to 10 mph. The surface temperature of the water at Lake Hartwell is currently in the upper 40s. According to boat-ed.com, it can only take 10 to 15 minutes for someone to become hypothermic in water below 50 degrees, which can lead to unconsciousness and creates a severe risk of drowning within 30 minutes.

The tournament event was held by the Striped Bass Challenge. Tommy Richardson, who runs the trail, posted the following statement on the tournament’s Facebook page:

Dear Friends, SBC Family, and Anglers,

Yesterday morning, we experienced a tragedy that has deeply affected all of us. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to each of you for the prayers and support you’ve shown us during this difficult time. Your kindness means more than words can express, and we ask that you continue to keep us in your prayers as we navigate this journey together.

In this moment of grief, we ask for understanding and respect. Please refrain from speculation or the spread of misinformation about this incident. As a family and an organization, we are still processing what happened. We were the first ones on the scene, and I am prepared to answer any questions or provide clarity about the truth of the situation.

Yesterday changed our family forever. We lost one of our own, and we were fortunate to have others spared. Please know that your support is helping us heal, and we are incredibly grateful for each of you during this challenging time.

With gratitude,

Tommy