A paddleboard outing on Lake Eufaula turned deadly Monday afternoon when a 17-year-old from Canadian drowned, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Troopers and marine units searched an area northeast of town and recovered the teenager’s body. Officials say the death remains under investigation.
Authorities were called around 4 p.m. to a spot on Lake Eufaula roughly two miles northeast of Canadian in Pittsburg County, where the teen had been using a 12-foot inflatable paddle board. Troopers later recovered the body about 40 feet from shore in approximately nine feet of water using a dragbar. The teenager was not wearing a personal flotation device, according to KOCO.
Life Jackets And National Trends
The tragedy lines up with what national data have been warning about for years. In its 2023 recreational boating statistics, the U.S. Coast Guard reported that about 87 percent of drowning victims where life jacket use was known were not wearing one. The agency and safety groups continue to urge boaters and paddlers to wear U.S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices anytime they are on the water, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Lake Eufaula’s Recent Incidents
Lake Eufaula has seen other fatal incidents in recent years, and local reporting on earlier drownings has repeatedly noted a lack of life jackets as a factor. Those previous cases prompted troopers and local agencies to keep hammering on the basics: wear a PFD and check lake and weather conditions before heading out.
What Paddlers Should Know
Safety experts say paddlers can tilt the odds in their favor by wearing a properly fitted personal flotation device, checking weather and water conditions before launching, avoiding solo outings when possible, and keeping a phone or VHF radio in a dry bag. The CDC and injury prevention groups also recommend swim lessons, constant supervision for younger users, and learning basic CPR to improve the chances of survival after a submersion, according to the CDC Injury Center.
OHP has not released the teenager’s name because the victim was under 18, and investigators say the cause of the drowning is still under review. Authorities are asking anyone with information about what happened on the lake Monday to contact state troopers, according to KOCO.
