Three people died this week when they fell under the ice at Woods Canyon Lake, about two hours southeast of Flagstaff.
Harisa Muddana, Narayana Muddana and Gokul Mediseti were from India and lived in Chandler. They were visiting the area for recreation.
According to Coconino County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson John Paxton, the three apparently wandered into the ice-covered lake on Monday to take pictures.
“Incidents like this are very rare. I know the Ice Fisherman has fallen. This is the first time I’ve seen anything like it,” Paxton said.
The Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputy for the Forest Lakes Substation responded to the area at 3:35 p.m. Monday. They were able to pull Harisa Mudana out of the ice, but were unable to resuscitate her.
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Agents rented a boat from a lake vendor and conducted an extensive search of the area. DPS Air Rescue has been deployed, according to Paxton. Ultimately, the Gila County Diving Team played a key role in recovering the bodies of the victims.
Search teams on Tuesday are working to recover two of the three people who drowned after falling into the ice at Woods Canyon Lake in Forest Lakes.
No credit – hogp, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office
Andy Marchesseault is a detective with the Criminal Investigative Division of the Gila County Sheriff’s Office. He is also a trained ice diver.
“I’ve been diving for about 31 years. I came back to New England at the fire station in Connecticut,” says Marchesseault.
It was there that he qualified for open water search and rescue and ice diving.
“Here in Gila County, Arizona, you don’t get a lot of ice, so you don’t need a lot of ice diving skills.
He arrived on the scene just before dark on Monday.
“I went into the water on Monday … put on a dry suit and went out to see if I could find a victim near the pit,” Marchesaux said.
As darkness set in, the search had to be temporarily halted for safety reasons.
The ice where the victim fell was only one to two inches thick, Marchesaux said, and when search operations resumed the next morning, divers would have preferred to access the water from the shore rather than the hole. that it was safe.
“I was a guru in ice operations,” he said. “Diving is always dangerous. Add an overhead environment, such as ice, on top of that and it becomes very dangerous.”
Marchesseault said the water was frigid at 30 to 31 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Every member of the sheriff’s office dive team is equipped for the water temperature conditions. We used dry suits and underwear. said.
As such, there were eight divers on site, all of whom, like Marchesaux, were members of the Gila County Sheriff’s Office dive team.
There are certified peace officers, as well as Tunnel Rim Search and Rescue detention staff and volunteers. All join his team with decades of diving experience, training annually on Roosevelt and Woods Canyon Lakes.
Despite the team’s skill, the mission was disastrous.
“The psychological factor of searching for a dead person in zero visibility can weigh on your mind. said, describing the experience of being tethered to the shoreline under nearly frozen water.
Marcheseau helped retrieve two more victims by 1 p.m. Tuesday.
He said he appreciates the efforts of all concerned agencies.
Here’s how to get to Sierra Ferguson: sierra.ferguson@lee.net.
