CPW rangers at Lake Pueblo State Park respond to call of a capsized boat near North Picnic Area
Travis Duncan
At 7:37 p.m. on Sunday, May 29, Colorado Parks and Wildlife rangers at Lake Pueblo State Park responded to a call of a capsized boat near the park’s North Picnic Area.
Witnesses reported 13 people (eight juveniles and five adults) were onboard a small boat in high winds when the boat capsized.
When CPW Rangers arrived in a patrol boat, all 13 were in the 60-degree water. Rangers rescued eight juveniles and three adults.
Rangers also recovered the remains of one adult. Rangers also launched an immediate search for another adult missing from the boat.
The 11 survivors were taken to area hospitals for treatment of hypothermia and other injuries including one of the juveniles who was flown to a hospital.
The body recovered from the water was turned over to the Pueblo County Coroner who will identify the remains and determine the cause of death.
CPW’s Marine Evidence Recovery Team (MERT) has brought in sonar to search for the missing adult. The MERT team faces difficult conditions as the boat capsized in 80 - 90 feet of water.
“We’re requesting that boaters avoid the middle channel of Lake Pueblo between North Marina and Rock Creek Cove,” said Lake Pueblo State Park Manager Joe Stadterman. “Search and rescue efforts are underway and boaters are reminded to give space to our patrol boats and search vessels. Please avoid the area.”
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.