Lake Saguaro, Arizona – Search for Missing Paddleboarder

Efforts are underway to locate a man who went missing while paddleboarding on Lake Saguaro. The search is focused on 65-year-old Richard Powers near Boat Ramp 1 in the Tonto National Forest.

According to William Jinx of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Powers contacted a friend early in the morning around 5:45 to share that he was paddleboarding. Later, a sailor discovered a paddleboard along with a cell phone and a shoe near Captain’s Corner, but there were no signs of Powers.

Jinx noted that Powers typically wore a waist-type life jacket. However, his friend Elle Milner speculated that something must have gone wrong so quickly that he was unable to inflate it. Milner, her fiancé Ted Develok, and many others from the paddleboarding community have been searching tirelessly for him.

“We started informing others. People say Powers is a reliable friend who wouldn’t miss a chance to help or share a good joke,” Milner remarked. Their shared love of water has knitted them all together in this time of concern.

Develok commented on the importance of gratitude for friendships, highlighting that one day, circumstances can change unexpectedly. He emphasized that Powers, an experienced paddleboarder and racer, took safety seriously. “We just want him back with his family. Just to go home,” he said.

Powers is described as a white male with gray hair and green eyes. He was last seen wearing a lime green hooded sweatshirt, black shorts, and flip-flops.

Jinx stated that the search efforts for Powers will continue until he is found. Anyone with any information about his whereabouts is urged to call MCSO at 602-876-1011.