Man Drowns While Trying To Help Brother Struggling To Swim In New Melones Lake
CALAVERAS COUNTY (CBS13) – A man drowned while trying to help his brother who was having trouble swimming in New Melones Lake on Tuesday, the Calaveras County Sheriff's Office said.
At around 4 p.m., the victim, a 35-year-old man from Georgia, and his younger brother, a 33-year-old man from Merced, were in the water near the dam at the lake.
The younger brother had jumped into the water from a boat and had trouble staying afloat. The sheriff's office said the older brother jumped in after him and swam to assist.
According to the sheriff's office, as the older brother was trying to assist, someone from the boat threw a life preserver to the younger brother, who was able to use it to get back to the boat. As this was happening, the older brother began having trouble swimming and went underwater.
Those on the boat attempted to locate the 35-year-old in the water but were unable to.
The sheriff's office said it is not releasing the name of the victim out of respect for the family.