Search suspended for missing Las Vegas boater at Lake Mead

By Nikki Villoria

Published Tuesday, May 31, 2011 | 9:08 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, May 31, 2011 | 11:43 p.m.

Search and rescue teams were looking for a Las Vegas man who disappeared in Lake Mead after jumping from his boat to help two friends struggling in the water, authorities said.

But the search was suspended late Tuesday, the National Park Service announced about 11:40 p.m. Efforts were expected to resume at 6 a.m. Wednesday.

According to the Park Service, a man was floating in the lake on an inflatable raft in the Callville Bay area while two friends were on a nearby boat. When the man on the raft wanted to come back, one of the men on the boat jumped in to help pull the inflatable back, officials said.

As they tried to swim back, both men began to get tired and the third man, the owner of the boat, jumped in to try to help them, officials said. They then realized the raft and the boat had floated away, officials said.

Shortly after the third man jumped into the water, his friends heard him shouting that he was tired and needed help, then they didn’t hear him anymore, officials said. They reported last hearing and seeing him about 8 p.m. The man, in his mid- to late 30s, was not wearing a life jacket, officials said.

The three men, who were with two other people who had remained on shore, were reported missing to the Park Service about 7:30 p.m. Rangers responded with two boats, found the reporting party at about 8:30 p.m. and began the search, officials said.

The other two men, found clinging to a single life jacket, were rescued from the water by a passing boater, officials said. Neither was injured.