The body of a 21-year-old man who vanished in Colorado over the weekend after his kayak overturned in Lake Granby was discovered.
A post on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Sunday stated that the Grand County Sheriff’s Office had received a 911 call at approximately 6:45 a.m. local time regarding a male in the water near Deer Island. According to a news release from the sheriff’s office, “heavy winds and choppy waters” prevented the authorities from conducting a comprehensive search at the time.
Responders found the man’s remains on the lake bed the next day at around 7:30 p.m. According to a news release from the sheriff’s office, the authorities then used an underwater remote-operated vehicle (ROV) to remove the deceased’s body.
After the body was discovered, the kayaker’s family travelled to Colorado and the Grand County Coroner’s Office took custody of the body. The deceased’s identity, cause of death, and mode of death will be made public at a later date by the coroner’s office.
“Unfortunately, over the last several years, Grand County has experienced a significant number of water-related emergencies and recoveries,” stated Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin in the press release.
Law police, fire, and emergency medical staff are included in the Headwaters Water Rescue Authority, according to Schroetlin. “They plan and prepare for these operations and then immediately respond to these incidents to bring closure to the family.”
Emergency personnel returned to Lake Granby the next day to carry out more searches for the missing guy once the weather cleared up. Responders used specialised equipment from the Headwaters Water Rescue Authority and Colorado Parks and Wildlife Marine Evidence Recovery Team (MERT) in addition to the cellular forensics of the Kremmling Police Department during the search.
The sheriff’s office posted pictures of the intense snowfall that they had as the search crews were entering the lake on Facebook and X.
Very sadly, emergency responders located a male body in Lake Granby on 12/4.
Press Release➡️https://t.co/hDPsWlcmjK#GrandCounty pic.twitter.com/PgnMCbpP1e
— Grand County Sheriff (@GrandCoSheriff) December 5, 2023
The man and his companion had spent the night on Deer Island in the middle of the lake, and they were trying to make their way back to their car on the shore when the incident occurred, according to a press release issued by the sheriff’s office on Sunday.
According to the sheriff’s office, “his friend’s kayak capsized as they attempted to kayak across the open water, and he fell into the lake.” “The reporting party managed to get himself back to shore, but he was unable to save his friend before he went underwater.”
Authorities added that despite challenging circumstances, they tried to find the man with the assistance of medical and fire departments, employees from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and staff from the Beacon Landing Marina at Lake Granby.
The sheriff’s office stated, “Responders encountered extreme snowfall, blowing and drifting conditions, and zero or nearly zero visibility while responding to the area.” “With the help of Colorado Parks and Wildlife and a boat from Beacon Landing Marina, responders were able to search the area; however, the victim’s initial injuries from strong winds and choppy water also made it difficult for rescuers to reach them.”
