Four people died in suspected drownings along Colorado’s Front Range this week, leading state officials to urge residents and visitors alike to be safe as water-based recreation ramps up for the summer.
On Sunday, a man died after going under a buoy in Chatfield Reservoir, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. The Jefferson County coroner is conducting an autopsy to determine the official cause of death, which is believed to be a drowning.
The person was found further downstream, and commercial rafting guides began performing CPR. In spite of these efforts, the individual was pronounced dead before Colorado Parks and Wildlife Rangers arrived on scene, officials said.Later in the day Monday, a swimmer went missing from a group in Fish Hook Cove at Lake Pueblo State Wildlife Area, state officials said.
Tuesday evening, Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced the body of swimmer who’d gone missing had been located. Witnesses told state parks rangers that a man who’d been about 300 feet offshore in an inflatable device jumped off fearing his daughter was distressed — then disappeared into the water. As temperatures get warmer this time of year, the appeal of outdoor activities, especially water-related activities, increases. Despite the hot temperatures, water conditions can still be very cold, meaning that hypothermia remains a threat, even in Colorado’s summer months.