Authorities in California have stated that the teenage boy who had gone swimming in a lake while hiking earlier in the month was found dead.
In a statement released on Thursday, the office of the Madera County Sheriff claimed that they had received a call on August 10 at around 8 p.m. stating that the boy, nineteen years old, had been separated from his hiking group near Thousand Island Lake and was presumed to be missing.
According to the statements made by the sheriff’s office, the teenager had been trekking with a big group, which included his father, prior to going for a swim alone on one of the islands located on the lake at 12 p.m. on that day. According to authorities in California, he was last seen onshore from a distance by his trip fellows.
The people who had reported him missing subsequently contacted to claim they had found the 19-year-old and were in dire need of medical attention.
According to the statement sent by the sheriff’s office, “due to the urgent nature of the incident, a request was placed with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for a military helicopter to respond.”
However, when the helicopter came, the rescuers discovered that the young guy had already passed away.
The victim and his father were escorted to Fresno Yosemite International Airport by NAS Lemoore, where they met Sheriff’s Office Staff and Fresno Airport Police, according to the authorities.
“On behalf of the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, I extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the young man during this tragic time,” Sheriff Tyson Pogue stated. “Incidents like this are truly heartbreaking, and some of the hardest calls we conduct as first responders.”
The Sheriff’s Office advised individuals participating in outdoor recreational activities that swimming in such high-country alpine lakes should be approached with extreme care.“Our high-country alpine lakes are still extremely cold even if the valley floor sees 100-degree days,” it said. “At Thousand Island Lake, the overnight lows are in the low 40s at night, and the lake itself is fed by glaciers from Mount Ritter and Mount Banner, the peaks of which peaks are -/+ 12,000 feet in elevation. Even in the warmer months, the water is extremely cold.”
