Drowning victim at Jefferson Springs Recreation area identified

A Tennessee Highway Patrol helicopter pilot recovered the body of a Rutherford County woman who apparently drowned Sunday night at Jefferson Springs Recreation area, a sheriff’s sergeant reported.

THP Aviation Pilot Lt. Brad Lund located Rania Malak Saleb Gaber, 23, of Smyrna at 10:30 p.m. about 150 yards south of the Jefferson Pike Bridge in the main channel, reported Rutherford County Sheriff’s Sgt. Derek Oeser.

Deputy Sarah Blair reported Gaber’s husband, Milad Beshara, told her he and his wife were in the water about 8:15 p.m. when he got out to cook. When he didn’t hear her a few minutes later, he began searching and could not locate her. He went to find help.

Sheriff’s deputies, Rutherford County Fire and Rescue, Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services and its Special Operations Response Team, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and THP responded and conducted an extensive ground and water search before Lund located her.