2 of 3 passengers survive boat sinking at Lake Pueblo

Two people wearing life preservers survived a ski boat's sinking at Lake Pueblo Saturday evening. A third passenger wearing pants and boots but no life jacket was unable to swim to shore.

"Frantic" attempts to rescue the man by witnesses on shore and by Colorado Parks and Wildlife park rangers were not successful, per CPW. 

According to CPW, the small ski boat began taking on water shortly after launching at Lake Pueblo State Park and quickly sank. 

The two passengers wearing life jackets resurfaced when the boat went underwater and were rescued by CPW rangers. The third passenger tried to swim to shore but "quickly began struggling." He disappeared below surface of the 72-degree water and was not located until volunteer divers from the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office found his body a short time later. The body was found in about seven feet of water. 

The sunken boat was pulled to shore by the team as well.

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"While we continue to investigate, this appears to be a tragic accident," stated Daryl Seder, senior park ranger at Lake Pueblo. "We offer our condolences to the family and friends of this victim."

Seder said the incident occurred about 50 yards offshore near the Big Lizard Picnic Pavilion on the lake's north side, just west of the North Shore Marina and boat ramp. He described the boat as an older, low-profile ski boat. 

The two survivors on the boat told CPW rangers how they noticed the boat was taking on water shortly after they left the marina's "no wake" zone and passed its buoy. The combination of the weight from the water in the boat and choppy waves on the lake swamped the boat, causing it to quickly sink, Seder said. It's unknown why the boat was taking on water.  

This is the first death at Lake Pueblo this year, according to CPW. Six people passed away there last year in what was a record year for water-related deaths in the state. In total, 42 people died in 2022. 

This year, 24 have already perished state-wide, and three people are still missing in what are believed to be water-related incidents. 

Two CPW rangers were honored last summer for their response to a boat with 13 aboard that capsized during a windstorm. Although two people died, the rangers successfully pulled the other 11 passengers aboard their patrol boat, as reported by CBS affiliate KKTV. 

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Another CPW ranger was honored for bringing the occupants of an overturned kayak, including a 3-year-old, to shore last October. 

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