NPS Rangers have resumed the search for a 39-year-old North Las Vegas man named Erus O’Connor Matanguihan, who was last seen windsurfing without a personal flotation device at 5:30 p.m. last night. He was windsurfing in extremely high wind conditions, with gusts of up to 40 mph, near the Boulder Islands. Witnesses at the Special Events Beach saw the windsurfer go down near the Boulder Islands at about 5:30 p.m. and never saw the man again. This area is in the Boulder Basin on the Nevada side of Lake Mead.
NPS Rangers immediately began a search for Matanguihan, dispatching two boats to the area. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Search and Rescue (Metro) helicopter was called in to assist.
His windsurfer was located at about 7 p.m. in between Sentinel and Saddle Islands in the Boulder Basin area of Lake Mead. There was no sign of Matanguihan in that location. The search was suspended last night at 9:30 p.m.
The search resumed this morning at about 7:30 a.m. NPS Rangers using three boats searched the water and an NPS Fire Crew searched the shoreline. Metro’s helicopter again called in to assist with the search effort. The search was suspended at about 12 noon. NPS Rangers resumed the search on the water at about 4:40 p.m. this afternoon and will continue searching until dusk.
At this time, Rangers presume he has drowned. This is all we know at this time. Additional details will be sent as more information becomes available.
Rangers want to remind all visitors of the importance of always wearing a life jacket while recreating on Lake Mead or any other body of water. Visitors also need to check the weather forecast before going out on the water.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
