WASHINGTON COUNTY, Colo. — A man is dead following a "boating accident" at the Prewitt Reservoir State Wildlife Area in Washington County Tuesday afternoon.
According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, witnesses saw two men launch a boat onto Prewitt Reservoir around 1:30 p.m. One of the men was in the boat, while the other was on the dock.
As the boat started to drift away, the man on the dock jumped into the water to swim out to it. Witnesses told CPW that the man started to struggle while swimming and went underwater.
The man in the boat jumped into the water to swim toward the other man, but then also began to struggle. He was rescued by another boat.
CPW, the Sterling Fire Department, the Washington County Sheriff's Office and the Colorado State Patrol responded to the scene, using boats equipped with sonar and divers to search for the missing man. His body was recovered around 3:15 p.m.
The Washington County coroner will release the deceased man's identity and cause of death at a later time. According to CPW, the two men were not wearing life jackets.
CPW is investigating the incident.
