A weekend outing at Truman Lake turned tragic Saturday when a 36-year-old man from Sedalia drowned while swimming at the Shawnee Bend beach near Warsaw in Benton County. Troopers recovered his body, and the Benton County coroner pronounced him dead at the scene.
What officials reported
According to an incident report, troopers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Water Patrol recovered the man’s body after he went underwater and did not resurface while swimming at the Shawnee Bend Recreation Area beach, as reported by KOMU. The station identified him as a 36-year-old Sedalia resident and reported that he was not wearing a life jacket when he entered the water. Benton County officials pronounced him dead at the scene, according to the report.
Where it happened
Shawnee Bend is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers day-use area on Truman Lake that offers a sandy beach, boat ramps and other summer recreation facilities, according to the Corps. Truman Lake draws anglers and swimmers throughout the season and, as the Corps notes, can present hidden hazards such as sudden drop-offs and cold, deep water. According to the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Shawnee Bend is listed among the 'Parks at Truman Reservoir' and the Corps notes features including 'Shawnee Bend Trail · Warsaw Biking/Hiking Park. Equestrian and Hiking Trails'. According to the Kansas City District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Truman Lake pages include 'Truman Lake Data & Weather' with items listed such as 'Flood Storage' and 'Pool'.
Safety reminders
The U.S. Coast Guard emphasizes that wearing a Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device greatly reduces drowning risk and that many recreational drowning victims are not wearing PFDs. Visitors to Truman Lake are urged to wear properly fitting life jackets, swim in marked areas and follow posted warnings and park rules, the Coast Guard and Corps advise.
