Vessel Owner and one passenger were working to set a sailing racecourse during high windsup to 25 mph, choppy one to two foot waves and cold early season water temperatures.  Neither were wearing a life jacket despite the conditions and were wearing clothing to offset the cold air temperatures and wind. Neither were wearing a wetsuit or drysuit in case of an accidental capsize or fall overboard. 

The race was sanctioned by the State of New Mexico State Parks whose permit required all race participants to follow all State Park Regulations.

The vessel owner at the time of the accident had been working with the passenger working to move a 24" diameter race buoy.
The passenger was having diffculty holding on the the buoy and fell overboard headfirst into the water.
The passenger became a MOB victim and attempted to hold for the 24" buoy while the operator of the sailboat attempted to come about and perform a rescue.  

The operator was unable to get close enough to affect a rescue and had no Type IV on board to deploy to the victim.
Nearby boater attempted a rescue by both deploying a life sling but could not reach the victim.  The same boater attempted an open water rescue but did not reach the victim in time.   

Victim was seen to finally release the buoy and disappeared under the water.  Elapsed time from the time the incident occured to loss of the victim has been estimated at less than 5 minutes. 

Victims body was retrieved when found floating offshore Long Point twenty days later.  

Cause of death was drowning.
Elephant Butte                