WINDSOR, Colorado — High wind gusts contributed to the capsizing of a canoe and the death of a 13-year-old boy Thursday on a lake in Windsor.
According to Windsor Severance Fire Rescue (WSFR) Chief Kris Kazian, the agency received a call of a capsized canoe at Rock Bridge Lake about 3:15 p.m. They learned that one person was able to get out of the lake, while another went underwater, Kazian said.
When rescue crews arrived, the lake had large, white-capped waves, and wind gusts neared 45 mph., according to a WSFR news release.
Crews learned that the two in the canoe were brothers who had been trying to make it back to shore, given the change in weather conditions, according to the release.
Bystanders on shore had already attempted to take the canoe, which had blown ashore, back out to rescue the person in the water, the release said. The canoe had capsized again, and emergency crews went onto the water to rescue the bystanders, who were not injured.
The 8-year-old brother who had made it ashore was evaluated on scene and taken to a hospital.
The search for the 13-year-old was complicated by high winds and wave conditions. WSFR requested assistance from agencies and divers from Greeley, Loveland, Berthoud and Larimer County, according to the release.
Divers made multiple searches underwater for the missing boy. About 7 p.m., a search and rescue dog named Saker, owned by a Greeley firefighter, picked up a scent and identified an area of interest, according to the release. A diver went in and recovered the boy's body.
"It's a tough day for all of us here," Kazian said.
The 13-year-old was identified on Friday by the Weld County Coroner's Office as Mason Mages. The 8-year-old was wearing a life jacket when the canoe capsized. Mason was not, Kazian said.
"Weather played a significant factor in this tragedy and is a stark reminder of how quickly Colorado weather can change, and how important life safety vests are while being on the water," Kazian said in the release.
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