SILT, Colo. — A person died after they fell in the water while paddleboarding in strong winds Saturday afternoon at Harvey Gap State Park, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said on Monday morning.
The park is located about 3.5 miles north of Silt.
CPW said a group of four people all went into the park's Grass Valley Reservoir to paddleboard that afternoon without life jackets, and were caught in high winds. One adult, who was not tethered to a paddleboard, went under the water and disappeared in the rough conditions, CPW said.
The first emergency call came at 3:18 p.m., and CPW officers and Garfield County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene.
CPW launched two boats and used sonar devices to scan the water before the Marine Evidence Recovery Team (MERT) arrived from Littleton that evening to take over the search. The MERT used its submersible ROV to look for the person.
Around 10 p.m., the MERT found and recovered the body, which was turned over to the Garfield County Coroner's Office, CPW said. The coroner will determine the cause of death, identify the person and notify their relatives.
“This is a heartbreaking tragedy and we send our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of this victim,” Harvey Gap State Park Manager Brian Palcer said. “We continue to urge everyone to pay close attention to weather conditions and to wear life jackets when they are on or near the water so we can avoid future tragedies like today.”
If the coroner determines the person died by drowning, this incident would mark the sixth water recreation-related fatality this year.
CPW is reminding the public that life jackets are required on all watercraft in Colorado, including paddleboards.
