Franklin County officials said a Natchez man died Mondayafternoon in a drowning accident in Clear Springs Lake.

Franklin County Coroner Percy Peeler said Timothy M. Malone, 31,was in the swimming area just after 3 p.m. Monday when the accidentoccurred.

“He just came over to go swimming yesterday and it turned out to bea tragedy,” Peeler said.

Franklin County Sheriff James Newman said witnesses said Malone hadgone under and had not resurfaced. Officials said there weremultiple witnesses to the accidental drowning.

“There was another person with him, and there was a couple fromTexas that wasn’t right at the swimming area, but they saw what wasgoing on and went down to help,” Peeler said. “They got a parkranger and called 911 and we started getting help out there.”

He said people on scene were not able to locate Malone under thewater, but a search and rescue dive team from Pike County wascalled in. They found the man shortly after 6 p.m.

“They found him in about 8 to 10 feet of water,” Newman said. “Hewas dead, and we’re still investigating it, but it does appear tobe an accidental drowning. There’s no reason to believe that it’sanything but accidental at this point.”

Malone, who was born in California and whose mother lives inArkansas, doesn’t have family in Franklin County, Peeler said, buthas a twin sister who lives in Louisiana.

Malone’s arrangements, which are incomplete, will be handled byYoung’s Funeral Home in Louisiana.