The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday that the man who was reported missing on Monday was found dead.
The man has been identified as 20-year-old Brian Vazquez.
At about 6:36 p.m. Monday, the sheriff’s office received a call that a person had disappeared in the Colorado River, according to a press release.
When police arrived, they learned that a group had entered the river near Yuma’s Ocean to Ocean Bridge and attempted to float to the Hidden Cove RV launch pad and out of the river.
The sheriff’s office said the group managed to move, but Vazquez continued downstream.
Several agencies, including the U.S. Border Patrol, Air Force, Yuma Police Department and Fire Department, cooperated in the search. However, the search was suspended at 8:15 p.m. and was scheduled to resume the following morning.
At 6:21 a.m. Tuesday, the First Response Force resumed the search west of Hidden Cove RV Park with boats, dive teams, and ground personnel, but the search was called off at 1:00 p.m. and remained at the scene. was only a law enforcement boat force.
Around 8:12 a.m. Wednesday, Vazquez was spotted by kayakers in an area east of Yuma’s Cocopa Bend RV Park.
No other information has been released by the sheriff’s office.
It is very important to remember water safety during the summer months. Anyone with a disability, swimming alone, or not knowing how to swim can be at risk in a lake or open ocean.
Here are some tips from the Arizona Drowning Prevention Coalition:
- Keep children under supervision.
- Install a fence around the pool.
- Wear a life jacket if you are in or near water.
- learning to swim.
- Learn CPR.
If you find someone struggling in the water:
- Call out for help and pull the person out of the water.
- Call 9-1-1 immediately. Leave it alone.
- Start cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
- If untrained, follow the instructions of the 9-1-1 operator until help arrives.
