Why Was Nolan Wells Missing From the Boat? New Footage Raises Questions
New footage has confirmed that tragic Mississippi teenager Nolan Wells wasn’t on a boat with his friends as it was towed away from a remote island during the ill-fated Fourth of July trip.
Never-before-seen video and photos appear to capture seven of Nolan’s friends aboard the boat preparing to be towed away from Horn Island — but Wells, who was found dead two days later, is nowhere to be seen, according to the clips obtained by The Officer Tatum Show.
— Brandon Tatum (@TheOfficerTatum) July 28, 2026BREAKING: EXCLUSIVE Images shared of the Triton Boat Being TOWED by another boat After Viral Sea Tow Dispatch Call, Nolan Wells is CONFIRMED to not be onboard.
***These images were taken from the boat towing them. pic.twitter.com/Y3OlMwK8sR
Wells’s friends claimed they told him to get on the boat to leave with them, but the student-athlete chose to remain on the island with an “unknown female” — revealed to be Katie McCormack, 19, according to the Daily Mail.
McCormack’s 23-year-old sister, Gracie, disputed the claim that Wells remained on the island to talk to her.
According to Gracie, McCormack thought Wells would have boated back to the mainland with his friends.
The Ocean Springs teen was later found dead in just blue swim shorts by a National Park Service ranger on July 6 in an area the United Cajun Navy said was known for “powerful rip currents.”
