Receding Waters Reveal Sunken Boat At Lake Dillon
Search For Sailboat To Begin Later This Month
POSTED: 7:04 a.m. MDT August 19, 2002
UPDATED: 5:42 p.m. MDT August 19, 2002
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. -- The slowly dropping waters of Dillon
Reservoir have revealed a sunken motorboat with a waterski rope
attached.
Until the boat's owner was located Monday, officials called it "an excellent little mystery."
Had the lake not fallen to
its current levels, the boat might never have been found, authorities
say.
The boat remains under water. Divers with the Summit County
Water Rescue last weekend took an underwater camera down 48 feet to
where the boat rests.
Bezinque obtained the boat's registration number, and contacted the owner Monday. The Denver-area man said his boat was swamped by a larger boat that passed in front of him in 1983 and his boat sank almost immediately.
"To ensure there was nobody inside the cockpit, it was a matter
of feeling around inside the cockpit to see if you could find
anything or anybody," Bezinque said prior to contacting the owner.
Bezinque said in most seasons the boat would be under 90 to 100
feet of water. Divers can't safely go beyond 80 feet without specialized equipment.
The sailboat was blown over by a sudden gust of wind in an area of the lake called Farmer's Korner.
Four people were thrown into the cold water, but only tow made it to shore. The bodies of the two men who disappeared were never found.
Local divers will examine the sailboat once its found by sonar. They said that the steadily lowering water levels of the lake will help narrow the search.
"It's hard to find anything underwater, even with sonar," said Bezinque. "But as the lake continues to go down, it will make it easier for us because we don't have as much area to cover."
Officials doubt divers will be able to locate any human remains because of the length of time since the accident and the currents in the area.
Had the lake not fallen to
its current levels, the boat might never have been found, authorities
say.
The boat remains under water. Divers with the Summit County
Water Rescue last weekend took an underwater camera down 48 feet to
where the boat rests.
Bezinque obtained the boat's registration number, and contacted the owner Monday. The Denver-area man said his boat was swamped by a larger boat that passed in front of him in 1983 and his boat sank almost immediately.
"To ensure there was nobody inside the cockpit, it was a matter
of feeling around inside the cockpit to see if you could find
anything or anybody," Bezinque said prior to contacting the owner.
Bezinque said in most seasons the boat would be under 90 to 100
feet of water. Divers can't safely go beyond 80 feet without specialized equipment.
Search For Sailboat Begins Soon
Authorities will also take advantage of low lake levels to try and find a sunken sailboat and the remains of two people believed drowned when it sank in 1985.
The sailboat was blown over by a sudden gust of wind in an area of the lake called Farmer's Korner.
Four people were thrown into the cold water, but only tow made it to shore. The bodies of the two men who disappeared were never found.
Local divers will examine the sailboat once its found by sonar. They said that the steadily lowering water levels of the lake will help narrow the search.
"It's hard to find anything underwater, even with sonar," said Bezinque. "But as the lake continues to go down, it will make it easier for us because we don't have as much area to cover."
Officials doubt divers will be able to locate any human remains because of the length of time since the accident and the currents in the area.
Copyright 2002 by TheDenverChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
