Visitor jumped into water and ‘didn’t come up,’ coroner says
A 21-year-old man died whereas swimming at Lake Nighthorse on Friday, in response to the La Plata County coroner. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald file)
A 21-year-old man from Mexico died Friday night whereas swimming at Lake Nighthorse, in response to the La Plata County Coroner’s Office.
The man, Eric Granados Barcenas, was swimming with two buddies, additionally from Mexico, Coroner Jann Smith mentioned. The three males had been leaping into the water from a excessive peak on the facet of the lake, and Granados Barcenas jumped into the water and “didn’t come up,” she mentioned.
Granados Barcenas’ physique was retrieved round 6:20 p.m., Smith mentioned.
An post-mortem is scheduled for Thursday, however the presumed and possible reason for demise is drowning, she mentioned.
The Durango Police Department responded to the incident, DPD spokesperson Amanda Garrison mentioned. Further data was not instantly out there Monday.
A resident who requested anonymity mentioned somebody she is aware of – a toddler – known as her, crying, because the incident was unfolding.
“It’ll affect her for the rest of her life, as it will for everybody who was there,” she mentioned. “It sounds like there was a decent amount of people there all trying to do their best to help. … It seemed like it was an incident of people having fun and underestimating the challenges of swimming in open water (and the impact) cold water can have on your ability.”
Lifeguards are on responsibility on the lake from 10 a.m. to six p.m. starting June 1.
The metropolis of Durango Parks and Recreation Department didn’t instantly reply to request for remark Monday on which elements of the lake had been open for swimming on the time of the incident or what pointers could also be in place for swimming earlier than a lifeguard goes on responsibility for the season.
epond@durangoherald.com