26-year-old paddleboarder dies during 'weather event' at state park in Colorado

The Special Operations Section of the Summit County Sheriff's Office responded to assist the Garfield County Sheriff's Office in recent days after a 26-year-old paddleboarder drowned at Rifle Gap State Park.

The 26-year-old male victim reportedly fell off of his paddleboard during a weather event and did not have a lifejacket on or a paddleboard leash.

The deceased paddleboarder was ultimately found through the use of a side-scan sonar device and was recovered via a remotely-operated underwater vehicle.

Condolences go out to those impacted by this death.

When participating in water sports in Colorado, wearing a life jacket is crucial to safety. This action could have prevented many of the drowning deaths that have occurred in Colorado.