Search continues at New Melones Reservoir for drowning victim who tried to save brother
Crews on Friday continued to search for a 35-year-old Georgia man who drowned in the New Melones Reservoir three days earlier after trying to save his brother, authorities said.
The lake’s depth and murkiness complicate the search, Sgt. Greg Stark said, and the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office plans to search for the man at least through Saturday.
Amador County crews are assisting with a different type of sonar equipment, Stark said. The underwater terrain with a steep valley, boulders and trees causes problems with the imaging technology, he said. The heat also strains boat drivers and sonar operators, but Stark said they are trained to deal with it.
“We’re trying everything we can to locate him as quickly as possible,” Stark said.
Authorities have not released the man’s name because they have not gotten confirmation his family has been properly notified, Stark said. The man jumped into the reservoir Tuesday because his brother, a 33-year-old Merced man, was struggling to swim, authorities previously said. He went underwater while his brother made it back to the boat after someone else threw him a life preserver.
The length of this search is not unusual for the large lake, Stark said.
This story was originally published June 18, 2021 at 2:42 PM.
