A teenager died after swimming in a lake after a hike in California with a group earlier this month.
The Madera County Sheriff’s office released a statement on Thursday, saying it had gotten a call around 8 p.m. on August 10 “regarding a teenage subject who had gone missing from his hiking party near Thousand Island Lake.” Thousand Island Lake is in eastern Madera County at an elevation of 9,833 feet with 10,000-foot peaks around it. It is located near Yosemite National Park and is known for its many tiny islands.
The 18-year-old man was from Los Angeles County and had been hiking with a group. He had been missing for around eight hours when the call was made. Earlier in the day, around noon, he went swimming by himself to an island at the lake and was last visible on the shore by the group with whom he had hiked.
“While Search and Rescue teams were coordinating resources, the reporting party called back to advise they located the subject and needed immediate medical assistance,” the statement noted. “Due to the urgent nature of the incident, a request was placed with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for a military helicopter to respond. Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore accepted the mission and responded to the location for medical assistance.”
When the NAS Lemoore helicopter arrived at the scene, it was evident that the teen had passed away. He and his father were taken to Fresno Yosemite International Airport, where they were connected with police and sheriff’s office personnel.
A cause of death was not described, however, the authorities added that they “would like to caution those who recreate in the outdoors, our high-country alpine lakes are still extremely cold even if the valley floor sees 100-degree days. At Thousand Island Lake, the overnight lows are in the low 40’s at night, and the lake itself is fed by glaciers from Mount Ritter and Mount Banner, the peaks of which are -/+ 12,000 feet in elevation.”
“Even in the warmer months, the water is extremely cold,” it added.
“On behalf of the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, I extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the young man during this tragic time,” Sheriff Tyson Pogue said. “Incidents like this are truly heartbreaking, and some of the hardest calls we conduct as first responders. Thank you to our allied agencies for their swift efforts to assist us with this mission, and helping to provide support to the family.”