Coroner identifies man who apparently drowned at Lake Mead
Two men died in unrelated cases at Lake Mead National Recreation Area over the weekend.
One man died after jumping from a boat Saturday.
The Lake Mead Interagency Communication Center received a call around 1:40 p.m. reporting that an adult male jumped from a boat near Burro Wash on Lake Mead and surfaced unconscious.
The Nevada Department of Wildlife and National Park Service paramedics responded to the scene and performed CPR, according to the National Park Service. The victim could not be revived.
The incident is under investigation. The victim’s identity and cause of death will be determined by the Clark County Medical Examiner.
Another man, identified as Isaias Reyes, 32, of Las Vegas, died Sunday. He died while swimming in the lake, the Clark County coroner’s office said Monday.
Reyes and a friend, neither of whom was wearing a life jacket, were spotted in the afternoon struggling in the water near Boulder Beach. The other man was rescued by a bystander and taken to Boulder City Hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening.
But Reyes disappeared from view and the Metropolitan Police Department found his body that evening.
This is the fourth apparent drowning at Lake Mead for 2017, park service spokeswoman Chelsea Kennedy said. In 2016, three people drowned.
More than 7 million people visit the recreation area each year, and weather conditions can change rapidly and endanger swimmers without life jackets. Kennedy encourages visitors to check the weather before visiting and to use life jackets while at the lake.
Kennedy also discourages visitors from using pool toys in lieu of life jackets.
“Always wear a life jacket, even if you’re a good swimmer,” Kennedy said. “The lake is stronger than you think.”
Contact Bianca Cseke at bcseke@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @biancacseke1 on Twitter. Contact Rachel Hershkovitz at rhershkovitz@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @rhershkovitz on Twitter.
