Empty paddleboard floating on Colorado lake leads rescuers to a body, officials say

A paddleboarder fell into a Colorado lake and never resurfaced, officials said.

An empty paddleboard was spotted floating on Corn Lake near Clifton in western Colorado around 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, the state’s Parks and Wildlife officials said.

Deputies from the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office rushed to the scene and began a search for a missing person.

“Based on the information provided by witnesses and the length of the time the victim was missing in the water, park rangers and MCSO deputies shifted their efforts from a search-and-rescue to a recovery operation,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife said in a Sept. 11 news release.

Officials said the paddleboarder, who reportedly was not wearing a life jacket had fallen into the lake and never resurfaced.

A recovery team arrived at Corn Lake at about 10 p.m., officials said. They started scouring the lake using sonar imaging.

About four hours later, officials found a body nearly 8 feet under the lake, officials said.

“Using a remote operated vehicle (ROV) equipped with sonar, lights, and video, the victim’s body was recovered and brought back to the surface,” officials said.

The body was taken to the Mesa County Coroner to determine a cause of death. Officials did not disclose the person’s identity.

“Colorado Parks and Wildlife reminds everyone that life jackets are required for all watercraft in Colorado, including paddle boards and other hand-powered watercraft,” officials said. “This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of having and wearing a life jacket while recreating in any body of water.”

This story was originally published September 12, 2022 at 1:34 PM with the headline "Empty paddleboard floating on Colorado lake leads rescuers to a body, officials say."