LAS ANIMAS COUNTY, Colo. — State wildlife officials said a man's body was recovered Monday after crews searched underwater for several hours following reports of a possible drowning at Monument Lake in southern Colorado.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials said the incident occurred earlier in the day at the privately-owned Monument Lake Resort, located about 40 miles east of Trinidad in southern Colorado.
The rescue, which was led by CPW in partnership with the Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office and the Las Animas County Emergency Management, began at around 11:15 a.m., about an hour after CPW first got the call of the incident.
Once at the scene, CPW officers from Trinidad Lake State Park deployed a boat with side scanning sonar as they searched for the missing person following a single boat incident. Even though three others were taken to Mt. San Rafael Hospital in Trinidad for treatment following the incident, CPW said the incident involved more than three people. They added they were interviewing those on the boat as well as other witnesses as they investigated the boating accident.
CPW officials said they used a Marine Evidence Recovery Team and a Lake Trinidad State Park boat, both of which are equipped with sonar technology, to find the missing person.
"Our thoughts are with the victim's family and friends during this incredibly difficult time," said Floyd Duran, Trinidad Lake State Park manager and incident response commander, in a prepared statement. "We appreciate the professionalism and teamwork of our officers to bring this search and recovery operation to a respectful conclusion. We also note the strong partnership with Las Animas County that ensured we were ready to support the community in this difficult moment."
Editor's note on Aug. 4, 2026: This story was updated with additional information from CPW about the search for the missing person.
