Search For Missing Buena Vista Teen Now a “Recovery Effort”

A search and rescue for a Buena Vista High School student was launched late Saturday at Clear Creek Reservoir and has now become a recovery effort. 

The teen went missing after the canoe he was in capsized while he was duck hunting. 

Witnesses at the scene said the teen and a friend fell in the water when their canoe flipped in strong winds just before 5 pm Saturday night.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Manager Jim Aragon said that the mother of one boy and the father of the other were on shore at the time of the accident.  The father swam out to the canoe while two Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers helped as he rescued one of the boys.

As darkness set in, they were unable to locate the other boy in the frigid waters. 

Several units including a specialized CPW Marine Evidence Recovery Team continued the search yesterday using an underwater drone equipped with sonar, lights, and video camera. 

CPW said the mission has now turned into a recovery effort. 

Clear Creek Reservoir is a popular fishing lake located 15 miles north of Buena Vista just west of Highway 24.