Austin Sheriff’s Office Recovers Body from Lake Travis Cove
Swimmer disappears in Lake Travis
A 70-year-old man has been found dead in Lake Travis after disappearing while swimming on Saturday. The man was using a handheld propulsion device and was not wearing a life vest at the time of his disappearance. A 911 caller informed the authorities that the individual hadn’t resurfaced after going under the water in a cove near Arkansas Bend County Park.
Combined search and recovery operation
Several agencies, including the Travis County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) Lake Patrol, Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD), Lake Travis Fire Rescue, STAR Flight and the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) joined forces to locate the missing man. On Saturday, after a focused search, the mission transitioned into a recovery operation. Sunday’s search employed camera-equipped remotely operated vehicles and sonar.
Body recovered
The body, which closely matched the description of the missing swimmer was retrieved Sunday evening at a depth of 29 feet. As per the TCSO, currently there is no indication of foul play. TCSO has withheld identifying the body publicly.
Safety around water activities
The TCSO Lake Patrol has emphasized the importance of safety measures when partaking in water activities. Their recommendation for those using handheld propulsion devices or scooters is to familiarize themselves with the operation and safety instructions of the device and practice in a pool prior to venturing into the lake. While there’s no pattern of incidents involving these scooters, their prevalence on Lake Travis is not fully known.
