Officials identify 18-year-old Henderson man presumed drowned

By Las Vegas Sun Staff (contact)

Published Monday, June 21, 2010 | 5:03 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, June 22, 2010 | 2:55 p.m.

An 18-year-old Henderson man presumed drowned after he went underwater while swimming in the Colorado River was identified Tuesday.

The National Park Service said Remon Shaker was last seen Monday afternoon swimming in the Black Canyon area about two miles down river from Hoover Dam. Officials hadn't found his body by Tuesday afternoon.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area spokesman Andrew Munoz said Shaker went swimming in the river with two friends when they decided the current was too strong and started swimming back to shore. Shaker's friends made it back to land, then saw Shaker struggle as he went underwater, Munoz said.

Authorities said if the body isn’t found today then rangers will reduce the search to two daily patrols. The Bureau of Reclamation reduced the water flow through Hoover Dam this morning to help in the search, decreasing the river's depth by about 4 feet.

The group hiked to the river through the Gold Strike Canyon trail, accessible from U.S. 93 between the Hacienda Hotel and the Hoover Dam checkpoint.

His friends called for help just before 4 p.m. Monday after hiking two miles back to the trailhead to get cell phone reception. Metro Police searched by helicopter while park rangers searched by boat, but there were no signs of him.

Munoz said the river's current through Black Canyon averages between 3 to 6 mph. Higher flows are common in the afternoon as Hoover Dam releases more water to meet power generation demands, authorities said.

This is the second drowning this year at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.