On Sunday, August 4, 2013 at approximately 1530 hours I, Game Warden was conducting boat patrol at the fuel dock of Cottonwood Cove Marina, Lake Mohave, NV.  While at the fuel dock, I was contacted by two people on a personal watercraft who stated that they were contacted by individuals in a boat, north of Cottonwood, who told them a person had been swimming off from a boat but had gone missing.  I then instructed the individuals on the PWC that I would follow them in my patrol boat and for them to lead me to the location of where they had been contacted about a missing person.  I contacted Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) dispatch and informed dispatch of a possible missing person and that I was en route to the possible location north of Cottonwood Cove Marina.   I followed the PWC to approximately 1 mile north of Cottonwood Cove Marina, near Solicitor Cove, where I was flagged down by a group of individuals in a white open-bow motorboat.  I arrived on scene at approximately 1534 hours.    

When I arrived on scene, the boat and people on board were approximately 25 yards from the Nevada shoreline near Solicitor Cove, four individuals (two males and two females) on board were yelling to me that there was a person who had been swimming but was missing. Occupant1 stated that Victim and Occupant2 were twin brothers, and she their sister, and that Victim was wearing dark camouflage swim trunks.  Witness statements indicated that Victim had been missing for approximately 15 minutes before I arrived on scene.   

Witness statements indicated that Occupant3, Occupant4, Occupant2, and Victim had been jumping off the boat into the water and swimming near the boat for approximately 20 minutes before Victim went missing.  Statements indicated that at approximately 1520 hours Occupant2 and Victim became tired from swimming, the boat drifted away from them, causing them to be unable to reach the boat.  Witnesses also stated that Occupant2 then yelled for help and Occupant3 swam over to Occupant2.  In his statement, Occupant3 indicated that when he reached Occupant2, Occupant2 was panicking and almost drowned Occupant3.  In Occupant1''s statement she indicated that she tried to wait until Victim reached the boat before starting the boat and driving over to Occupant3 and Occupant2.  In her statement Occupant1 indicated that Victim stopped about 10 feet from the boat and began swimming towards Occupant2 to help him.  Occupant1 stated that she then started the boat and drove over to Occupant2 and Occupant3.  In her statement Occupant4 indicated that she tried to swim over with a Type IV PFD, to help save Occupant2 and Occupant3 from drowning, but that she re-boarded the boat and her and Occupant1 drove the boat over and picked-up Occupant2 and Occupant3 from the water.  All statements indicated that during the rescue of Occupant2 and Occupant3, everyone lost sight of Victim.  All statements corroborated that from that point on, Victim was never seen again.   

Victim body was not found during the subsequent search for his body on August 4, 2013.  
I conducted a safety inspection of the boat which was a rental from Cottonwood Cove Marina.  The vessel had all required safety equipment on board including:  five Type II PFDs, a Type IV PFD, and a serviceable fire extinguisher.  The boat''s engine was operational and working correctly.  The boat''s maximum capacity was five persons on board.

Victim body was found by skiers on Sunday, August 11, 2013 at approximately 0530 hours.  His body was found floating in the water near Solicitor Cove, one mile north of Cottonwood Cove Marina.    
There is nothing further to report at this time.
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