A solemn retrieval unfolded at Harvey Gap State Park, north of Rifle, Colorado, where the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Marine Evidence Recovery Team (MERT) located the body of a suspected drowning victim. As reported by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the grim discovery was made early Sunday morning in Harvey Gap Reservoir.
After receiving reports around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, including one from the victim's family who had lost sight of their loved one for over three hours, CPW officers were dispatched to the scene. They found the victim's paddleboard ashore, positioned next to paddles and a life jacket, indicating the person might have intended to take a swim in a prohibited area after paddleboarding. Despite the efforts beginning as a rescue operation, it gravitated towards recovery with the victim being absent for an extended period in the water.
The search operation comprised CPW officers, Colorado State Patrol, and Garfield County Search and Rescue, who systematically combed the reservoir's periphery. Adding to their efforts, a CPW patrol boat outfitted with sonar and a Garfield County Search and Rescue K-9, trained in human scent detection both on land and in water, was deployed to aid the mission, as stated by CPW.
MERT arrived at the site early Sunday from Littleton, employing a remote-operated vehicle (ROV) with sonar, lights, and video capabilities to survey the depths. "Around 6:30 a.m., members with MERT located the victim's body in an area of the reservoir where CPW officers and Garfield County Search and Rescue's K-9 had identified a possible location earlier in the search," according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Using the ROV, the victim was subsequently retrieved from a place where strong wind gusts had been reported at the time of their disappearance.
