The body of a 21-year-old man has been found after he went missing in Colorado after his kayak overturned in Granby Lake over the weekend.
The Greater County Sheriff’s Office said ua post on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Sunday that they received a 911 call around 6:45 a.m. local time, reporting a male in the water near Deer Island. Authorities were unable to conduct a thorough search at the time due to “high winds and choppy waters,” according to a sheriff’s office news release.
The next day, around 7:30 p.m., rescuers found the remains of a man at the bottom of the lake. Authorities then recovered the deceased’s body using a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV), according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.
The kayaker’s body was then turned over to the Grand County Coroner’s Office, and the family of the deceased arrived in Colorado after the discovery. The coroner’s office will later announce the identity of the deceased, the cause and manner of death.
Lake Granby, Colorado on December 4, 2023.
Grand County Sheriff/Twitter
In a press release, Greater County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin said, “Unfortunately, over the past several years, Greater County has experienced a significant number of water-related emergencies and recoveries.”
“The formation of the Headwaters Water Rescue Authority includes law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel who plan and prepare for these operations and then immediately respond to these incidents to bring closure to the family,” Schroetlin said.
After weather conditions improved the next day, emergency responders returned to Lake Granby to conduct additional searches for the missing man. During the search, rescuers used cellular forensics from the Kremmling Police Department and specialized equipment from the Headwaters Rescue Authority and the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Marine Evidence Collection Team (MERT).
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Photos shared by the sheriff’s office on X and Facebook showed heavy snowfall as search teams entered the water.
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In a news release Sunday, the sheriff’s office said the man and his friend had spent the night on Deer Island in the middle of the lake and were trying to get back to their car on shore when the incident happened.
“As they attempted to kayak in the open water, the wind caused his friend’s kayak to capsize and he fell into the lake,” the sheriff’s office said. “The reporting party was unable to rescue their friend before he went underwater, but I managed to get back to shore.”
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A rescue operation is underway in the lake.
Greater County Sheriff’s Office
Authorities said they, along with medical and fire crews, Colorado Parks and Wildlife personnel and personnel from Beacon Landing Marina on Granby Lake, attempted to locate the man but faced difficult conditions.
“While responding to the area, rescuers experienced heavy snowfall, blowing and drifting conditions and zero or near zero visibility,” the sheriff’s office said. “Respondents were able to search the area with the help of Colorado Parks and Wildlife and a boat from Beacon Landing Marina, however the strong winds and rough water that initially affected the victim also made it difficult for rescuers.”
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