A tragic incident unfolded Thursday evening at Lake Pueblo State Park, where Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) officers responded to reports of a possible drowning. According to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the CPW Marine Evidence Recovery Team sadly recovered the body of an adult male around 1:30 a.m. Friday, pronounced dead at the scene by the Pueblo County Coroner.
Witnesses reported seeing the victim, who was without a life jacket, flip from an inflatable tube and submerge underwater. The accident occurred just after 7 p.m., only 30 to 60 yards from shore in the south fishing area, where water temperatures were reported to be in the low 70s. The swift response from CPW was to launch a grid search almost immediately, deploying sonar-equipped boats and underwater drones as well as calling in the CPW MERT Officers by 7:18 p.m. to aid in the search.
The Pueblo County Coroner's office has now taken custody of the body to determine the official cause of death and confirm the identity of the victim. "CPW offers condolences to the family and friends of the victim, and everyone involved in the incident," said Becky Buist, Operations Manager at Lake Pueblo State Park, as cited by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The incident underscores the inherent risks associated with water activities and the critical importance of safety precautions like life jackets.
