Two rescued after boat sinks in Lake Mead

By Dave Clark

Monday, Dec. 15, 2008 | 4:03 p.m.

Lake Mead rangers rescued two 64-year-old Las Vegas fishermen around midnight Sunday following a nearly four-hour search for the duo, whose boat sank after 8 p.m.

"As they were trying to anchor, their boat began taking on water," Lake Mead National Recreation Area spokesman Andrew Munoz said. "After they made the phone call to contact us, their boat sank."

At the time winds were gusting 45 mph, and the air temperature was 36 degrees. Munoz said they were going to anchor and wait for rescue when the boat began taking on too much water.

"This time of the season, there aren't too many boaters," Munoz said. "The weather can pick up, especially the winds on the lake."

Luckily, Munoz said, the pair were wearing life jackets, and one man pulled the other a half mile to Ramshead Island.

"One of the men wasn't able to make it on his own, so his friend had to take him to the island," Munoz said. "Without a life jacket, who knows what would have happened?"

The boaters were also fortunate that their cell phone call was received, because coverage is spotty on the lake, Munoz said.

Rangers encountered difficulty finding the pair. Officials launched a boat from Callville Bay and began the search in coves in the north end of the Virgin Basin. The sunken boat was located first with just the bow poking above the water. A subsequent search of the shoreline led rescuers to both men, who were suffering from hypothermia on the island. Both have recovered, he said.

He advised all boaters carry a VHF radio and a global positioning system device. The Park Service continually monitors the radio frequency that covers the lake, he said. He added a GPS would have provided an exact location, enabling rescuers to find the men sooner.

"We always encourage boaters before they head out to check the weather," Munoz said. "The weather forecast is available in the marinas."

Dave Clark can be reached at 990-2677 or [email protected].