On June 23, 2013 at approximately 1400 hours, I Game Warden was on boating patrol on Lake Mead. I received a call from dispatch about a vessel hailing help and a possible drowning in the Virgin Basin just beyond Boulder Point. I responded to the area and arrived on scene shortly after NPS Park Ranger. He began talking to the two passengers about the vessel while I began scanning the bottom of the cove with my sonar looking for any irregularities that could represent a body on the bottom. I was unable to find anything during this time.

The two remaining passengers aboard the pontoon told Ranger the following: two of the passengers, the missing victim and one of the others were horseplaying on the rear of the vessel. Victim pushed Occupant1 into the water, and Occupant1 attempted to climb back aboard the vessel. While he was climbing back aboard, Victim pushed him in again and Occupant1 grabbed Victim and pulled him into the water as well. The boat began to drift away from the two of them as it was a windy day with rough water conditions.  the remaining passenger attempted to start the vessel, but due to his inexperience with boats was unable to do so. They began yelling for help and a passing boat came over and pulled Occupant1 out of the water. Once he was back on his vessel they looked back to get Victim, but he was nowhere to be seen. They admitted that they had all been drinking throughout the day (this was confirmed by the presence of thirty empty beer canisters aboard the boat). 

The search was called off that day due to weather conditions and lack of resources. The following day Las Vegas Metro Search and Rescue dive team returned to the area and successfully recovered the body.
Boulder City