A day on Lake Travis turned tragic Saturday when a swimmer disappeared beneath the surface near Point Venture and never came back up. What began as a frantic water rescue soon shifted to a recovery mission that stretched into the evening. Authorities say they are not releasing the person’s identity and that there are currently no signs of foul play.
Timeline and response
As reported by CBS Austin, Travis County Sheriff’s Office Lake Patrol deputies were dispatched at 12:05 p.m. Saturday after a 911 caller reported that a man went underwater on the northwestern side of Point Venture and did not resurface. Austin-Travis County EMS told CBS Austin they responded to 19008 Silver Maple Dr., and the effort shifted from rescue to recovery about 40 minutes after the initial call.
How crews searched the lake
The sheriff’s office has previously used side-scan sonar and remotely operated underwater cameras in searches on Lake Travis, and has repeatedly urged people on the water to wear life jackets, according to a Travis County Sheriff's Office press release. Those tools are often deployed in spots that are too deep or hazardous for divers to immediately enter.
Discovery and recovery
According to CBS Austin, deputies using side-scan sonar and an underwater camera located the swimmer at a depth of about 114 feet, and Morgan's Point Resort Divers recovered the body later that evening. The sheriff’s office said there is no indication at this time that the incident is criminal in nature and is withholding the person’s name until family members can be notified.
Context and safety
Lake Travis has seen multiple drownings in recent years, a troubling pattern highlighted in Body of Missing Swimmer Found. As the Travis County Sheriff’s Office has stressed in prior statements, “the best way to ensure your safety on the lake, or any other body of water, is to wear a life jacket,” the agency wrote in a previous press release.
