An 18-year-old Mesa man is dead after drowning in a northern Arizona lake.
While on Memorial weekend patrol Saturday afternoon, Coconino County deputies were stopped by people who said Kevin Anaya was swimming in Lake Mary, which is located southeast of Flagstaff, and was having a difficult time making it back to shore.
According to a CCSO spokesperson, the man was about 100 feet from land and was spotted going under the water in the buoys, just south of the boat ramp, and never resurfacing.
Several family members went into the water in an attempt to save Anaya but they were unsuccessful, officials said.
When authorities searched the area where the victim was last seen it was discovered that the murky water was 10 feet deep and difficult to navigate.
Several law enforcement agencies and passersby helped search for the man using boats and a helicopter. Search efforts continued until 9:30 p.m. when a search and rescue team recovered the body in the area that the man was last seen struggling.
His official cause of death hasn’t been determined. The investigation is ongoing.
