The collision happened around 8 Saturday night when a wake boat struck a pontoon boat carrying a family. Four other people were injured, including a woman who was airlifted to UK Hospital.
Mercer County Emergency Management Director Brad Cox tells WUKY that while they are hopeful for a rescue of the missing 25-year-old, he knows the odds are not in their favor.
"The optimistic side of me wants to say yes, it's a rescue mission, but knowing the time frame, we're looking more deep water, so it's going towards a recovery," Cox said
The search has been complicated by the lake's extreme depth, which officials say exceeds the limits of standard rescue equipment. Specialized crews from Christian Aid Ministries in Ohio are using advanced technology to search waters as deep as 150 feet.