Colorado man believed drowned at Lake Mead

Thursday, July 24, 1997 | 9:13 a.m.

An investigation is continuing into the death of a 23-year-old Colorado man who apparently drowned while swimming at Lake Mead.

An Echo Bay Resort diver who had volunteered to search the marina harbor found the victim face down on the bottom in 32 feet of water at 4:18 p.m. Wednesday, said Karen Whitney, National Park Service spokeswoman.

His name has been withheld pending notification of his family.

The victim had been vacationing on a houseboat in Echo Bay with 13 other people when a female companion noticed about 3:45 p.m. that he hadn't returned from a swim he left for 15 minutes earlier, Whitney said.

Friends and marina employees launched a search to find the man after notifying authorities. A park ranger attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation, to no avail.

The body was released to the coroner's office to determine the cause of death.

Wednesday's death was the sixth fatality so far this year at Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

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