An Oklahoma man died in a drowning incident at Lake Texoma over the weekend, officials from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol confirmed. The man, identified as 40-year-old Billy Cooper of Durant, was reported to have been fishing from a kayak Saturday evening before he went missing. His body was discovered the following morning, near the lake’s shore in Marshall County.
According to News 9, which obtained details from the OHP, Cooper was found "in the water, near the shore, around 9 a.m. Sunday morning" and he was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the discovery. Lake Texoma, popular for recreational fishing, has been subject to past drowning incidents, with safety advocates consistently highlighting the importance of personal flotation devices while on the water.
KOCO reported the body was located near the lake’s shore approximately 2 miles east of Little City. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol has not provided additional information on events leading up to the drowning, but emphasized the absence of a personal floatation device which may have been a critical factor in the unfortunate outcome of Cooper’s fishing trip.
Further reporting by KXII noted that Billy Cooper had embarked on his kayak to fish on Saturday, and after he failed to return, a search ensued. His subsequent discovery prompted a local response and Cooper was, "taken to a local funeral home" which is routine in such circumstances. The incident casts yet another shadow over the beloved pastime of many locals and serves as a grim reminder of the latent perils that come with it.
