A missing boater's body was pulled from 48 feet of water near Peck Creek Cove at Lake Pueblo State Park early Monday morning, after state wildlife officers and an underwater robot spent hours searching the reservoir overnight. The man was first reported missing Sunday, and crews located him around 2:45 a.m. following a search that stretched through the night.
According to KRDO, the initial 911 call about the missing boater came in around 5:30 p.m. Sunday, prompting a joint search involving Colorado Parks and Wildlife rangers, the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office, and the Pueblo West Fire Department. Peck Creek Cove sits on the northwest side of Pueblo Reservoir, a man-made lake along the Arkansas River, as reported by The Denver Post. CPW's Marine Evidence Recovery Team ultimately located the body in the early morning hours using a remotely operated vehicle described as an underwater robot.
How the Search Unfolded Overnight
The hours-long operation combined multiple local agencies working through the night before MERT's technology located the victim in deep water near the cove. State wildlife officials did not specify how the boater ended up in the water, and the incident remains under investigation, per the same account from The Denver Post.
Lake Pueblo State Park manager Joseph Stadterman said the family and friends of the individual who died are in his thoughts. He also said that partner agencies and everyone who worked through the night deserve gratitude for their efforts during the search. The Pueblo County Coroner's Office will formally identify the boater.
A Familiar Recovery Tool for a Dangerous Reservoir
This is not the first time CPW's specialized recovery unit has been called to Lake Pueblo this year. Hoodline previously reported on a fatal capsizing in March, when CPW officers used an underwater ROV to recover a boater near Pedro's Point after a 14-foot fishing boat flipped in whitecap conditions; neither occupant on board that day was wearing a life jacket. In July, the same team deployed sonar and an ROV near Yucca Flats Campground to recover the body of a missing 30-year-old woman, according to CBS News.
CPW's Marine Evidence Recovery Team is made up of 14 members statewide and uses sonar and underwater ROVs, CBS News has reported. The equipment allows crews to search hazardous or deep water without sending human divers below the surface, and the unit responds to water recovery requests across Colorado within 24 hours.
Colorado's Deadliest Body of Water
Lake Pueblo State Park is Colorado's most-visited state park, drawing 4,687,369 visitors in 2021 alone, according to KRDO. Its 4,600 surface acres accommodate boating and water sports, drawing crowds.
The reservoir's troubles have continued in recent years. During a five-week span in the summer of 2024, four people died in separate water incidents at Lake Pueblo, including a 53-year-old father who drowned while trying to rescue struggling family members in rough water, per The Colorado Sun. Statewide, Colorado recorded a record 42 water-related recreation fatalities in 2022 and 32 in 2023, with officials noting that boaters without life vests account for the vast majority of drownings, as reported by the Denver Gazette.
Cold Water Risks and No Lifeguards on Duty
Colorado Parks and Wildlife's own safety guidelines classify all of the state's inland lakes and reservoirs as cold water, meaning temperatures stay below 70 degrees. Sudden submersion in that kind of water can trigger cold water shock and rapid hyperventilation, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and that involuntary gasping can lead to drowning even among strong swimmers.
Lifeguards do not watch all reservoirs. Rangers also handle watercraft enforcement and water-recovery operations. Exactly what led to this weekend's fatal incident remains unclear, as investigators have not said whether weather, mechanical failure, a medical emergency, or a missing life jacket played a role.
