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Body of missing Patagonia Lake State Park man recovered by officials Thursday

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Ariz. (KGUN) – Authorities on Thursday confirmed they have recovered the body of a missing man at Patagonia Lake State Park.

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office (SCCSO) began searching Wednesday around 7 p.m. after receiving a report of a man missing due to a possible drowning.

According to SCCSO, multiple agencies assisted in the search using specialized underwater search equipment and specially trained dogs.

On Thursday, crews recovered the body of a man, whom authorities identified as Pima County Correctional Officer Brian Torres.

Arizona State Parks told KGUN 9’s Ryan Fish that drownings like this in Patagonia Lake are “rare” and that the lake hasn’t had one in many years. Drownings in Patagonia Lake most commonly occur when non-swimmers attempt to swim across the lake.

Lake Patagonia’s marina and swimming area were closed for search efforts.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned to KGUN 9 where Ryan Fish will present the full report later in the day.