At approximately 4:30 p.m. on May 31, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area dispatch received a call about a missing person and presumed drowning in Lake Powell in the Warm Creek area in Kane County, Utah.
Witnesses reported that a group of 5 friends was on a privately owned vessel traveling in the Warm Creek arm of Lake Powell, approximately 3,000 meters from the Cut. The victim, a 30-year-old male from Flagstaff, Arizona, decided to go for a swim. He was not wearing a life jacket and conditions were semi-windy. He was last seen approximately 100 meters from the vessel when he disappeared underwater and did not resurface. National Park Service Rangers and Classic Air Medical conducted a hasty search until dusk. No recovery was made on May 31 and the missing party is now presumed deceased.
Recovery operations are continuing. The National Park Service has deployed its submerged Remote Operated Vessel (ROV) dive boat using side-scan sonar.
The case is under investigation by the Kane County Sheriff’s Office and National Park Service. The victim's identity will not be disclosed until family members have been notified.
All boaters are reminded to be aware of changing weather conditions and to always wear life jackets when boating and recreating on or around water.
Tags: glen canyon national recreation area lake powell kane county missing person swimming water safety lifejacket
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
