A boating incident at Lake Pueblo State Park on Friday evening has claimed the life of one angler, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) reported. The boat, carrying three people, capsized in Bogg's Creek Cove during high winds. While two individuals managed to swim to safety, the third was missing until Saturday evening, almost 23 hours later. CPW Rangers, the CPW Marine Evidence Recovery Team (MERT), the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pueblo West Fire Department were all involved in the search efforts using advanced technology like sonar-equipped boats, an underwater robot, and thermal cameras.
After an extensive search, the angler's body was finally found at around 6:30 p.m. Saturday, CPW confirmed. "Our hearts go out to the loved ones of the victim," said Lake Pueblo State Park Manager Joe Stadterman, published by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Stadterman also expressed gratitude towards the responding teams and extended condolences to the victim's family.
The accident highlighted the dangers of not wearing a life jacket, as it was revealed that none of the boaters had one on at the time of the accident. CPW reiterated the importance of life jackets and pointed to Lake Pueblo's life jacket loaner station, which provides free jackets to visitors. They further encouraged visitors to remain vigilant of the weather, which can turn dangerous with little warning.
