A weekend swim at Lake Tulloch ended in tragedy last Saturday, when a 31-year-old Campbell man drowned after trying to reach a small island off the residential shoreline near Copperopolis, according to the Calaveras County Sheriff's Office. Friends told investigators he made it to the island, which sits about 90 feet from the main shore, but became exhausted on the way back and slipped under the water. Multiple agencies searched the area for hours before divers recovered his body and turned it over to the Calaveras County Coroner's Office.
Deputies were called shortly after 1 PM to the 900 block of Foothill Road in Copperopolis, where the man's friends reported seeing him struggle in the water, KCRA reported. The sheriff's dive team and allied agencies searched from the shoreline and on the water, with the victim's friends helping guide rescuers to the area where they last saw him.
The swimmer had reached the small offshore island, about 90 feet from shore, but became fatigued while trying to make it back, and officials said he was not wearing a personal flotation device, according to CBS Sacramento. As time passed and there were no signs of the man surfacing, crews shifted from an active rescue effort to a recovery operation, deploying sonar and other underwater tools to search the lakebed.
Search and recovery
The sheriff's dive team eventually used a remotely operated vehicle to find the man about 28 feet below the surface at around 4 p.m., then divers brought his body to shore, according to KCRA. The Sheriff's Office publicly extended condolences to his family as the coroner assumed custody and the investigation continued.
What experts say
Drowning is still a leading cause of death in recreational water incidents. In its 2023 recreational boating report, drowning accounted for about 75 percent of boating fatalities, and 87 percent of those victims were not wearing life jackets, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Safety experts note that cold water and sudden fatigue can quickly sap a swimmer's strength, and that people can experience swimming failure in just a few minutes. Authorities urge recreational swimmers to wear personal flotation devices and to avoid long or solo swims to offshore islands, guidance echoed by the Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center.
The Calaveras County Sheriff's Office has not released the man's name, pending notification of his family, CBS Sacramento reported. Investigators have not released additional details, and the coroner will determine the official cause of death.
