Man found alive after being tossed from his Jet Ski at Lake Kaweah
In a peculiar turn of events, a man who was tossed from his Jet Ski has been found alive.
The man, presumed dead in the cold waters of Lake Kaweah, had been missing since 9:30 p.m.
Search and rescue efforts were underway at Lake Kaweah as deputies flooded in to help find the man. Shortly before noon, he turned up alive. It all started when a man fell off of his Jet Ski and into the dark, chilly waters Sunday night, according to Tulare County Sheriff’s Department. Around 9:30 p.m., deputies were called to the lake, east of Horse Creek Campground. A woman told deputies that she’d been jet skiing with a man she’d recently met. At some point, the man’s jet ski flipped over and she couldn’t find him, deputies said. The woman swam back to shore for help.
When deputies searched for clues, they found the man’s black Ford F-150 parked in a paid parking lot at Slick Rock. Two hours later, deputies say they found the Jet Ski, but there was no sign of the man.
A CHP Helicopter searched the area last night along with the sheriff’s plane. The sheriff’s boating unit was in the water Monday morning looking for the man.
Then, he turned up, without any idea that a team of deputies and CHP officers had been looking for him. Deputies say he slept near the lake and eventually made his way back to the parking lot where deputies saw him.
Visitors at Slick Rock said they noticed deputies searching the area but were unsure what occurred at the lake.
The man’s name and age haven’t been released by deputies. Deputies have not said if alcohol or drugs are a factor in the incident.
“Water safety is always a top concern for Sheriff (Mike) Boudreaux, especially during the summer months,” said Ashley Ritchie, spokeswoman for the sheriff. “When we talk about boating safety, we want to remind people that it applies to Jet Skis, Sea-Doos and any other type of water vehicle. When you’re using one, you should treat it with the same caution that you would a car on the road.”
Deputies say they encounter “preventable” incidents that could have been avoided if people were more cautious of the water safety.
“Have fun. Enjoy your time outside,” Ritchie added. “But please don’t be irresponsible. It’s just not worth it at the end of the day.”
So far this year, there have been several life-threatening incidents around Tulare County waterways. Four people have now died, including a 16-year-old Porterville boy and a man running from deputies.
On Saturday, a man’s body was found in a pond basin in Tulare. He had yet to be identified. However, after an extensive search for a missing man, Tulare County sheriff’s deputies found him safe on Monday, June 10, 2019.
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