Las Vegas man dies in collision on Lake Mohave

Monday, May 25, 2009 | 10:12 p.m.

A Las Vegas man died Sunday in a personal watercraft collision on Lake Mohave.

The National Park Service said Jose Rivas, 38, was killed after the operator of another personal watercraft broadsided him near the shore, sending Rivas into the water near Six Mile Cove. Bystanders were able to pull him from the water, but he lost consciousness and was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

His body was turned over to the Clark County Coroner's Office.

The operator of the personal watercraft that collided with Rivas was arrested by Nevada game wardens for operating under the influence of alcohol.

Rivas is one of two deaths that occurred at Lake Mohave this past weekend.

John Silva, 42, of El Monte, Calif., is presumed dead after he jumped off a boat and went under the water at about 4:30 p.m. Monday across from Katherine Landing on the Nevada side. An underwater search was suspended after two hours.

“The two main messages we stress are wear your life jacket and boat sober. The preliminary investigations indicate these two deaths were preventable,” said Lake Mead National Recreation Area Chief Ranger Mary Hinson.

Rangers expected about 200,000 visitors to Lake Mead National Recreation Area over the holiday weekend.

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