Search crews on Tuesday recovered the body of a man who drowned in Lake Pueblo while swimming after a Jet Ski that was floating away.
The body of Shane Michael Crandell was found 37 feet deep near the North Picnic Cove at Lake Pueblo State Park, according to a Colorado Parks and Wildlife news release.
Crandell, 33, went missing at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday while swimming after a Jet Ski that had come untethered from the shore. He swam toward the vessel with another man, but only one of them came back.
Cadaver dogs from the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office searched the shoreline on Tuesday. Dive and sonar-assisted search efforts from several organizations participating in the search spanned over more than two days, that closed off areas of North Picnic Cove.
“According to family members, he was admittedly not a strong swimmer,” said Kyle Davidson, public information officer for Colorado Parks and Wildlife Southeast Region.
A Colorado Springs Fire Department dive rescue team pulled Crandell out of the water, Davidson said, about 50 feet away from where he was seen going under.
“Drownings (at Lake Pueblo State Park) are relatively rare,” Davidson said. “For families that have to go through this, even one is too many.”
He offered advice to lake-goers who get into dangerous situations.
“It really comes down to knowing your own (swimming) skill level,” Davidson said. “Don’t go after a boat or ski yourself — get a park ranger, and they’ll take care of it.”
