Police search unsuccessfully for jet skier reported missing at Brantley Lake
Police called off the search Tuesday for a man who went missing two days ago in the waters of Brantley Lake.
Eddy County Sheriff’s deputies were called to Brantley Lake State Park at about 1:46 p.m. Feb. 5 by the Eddy County Fire and Rescue after State Park officials when officials were unable to find the man.
On Feb. 7, the New Mexico State Police ended the search, records show. The missing man's identity was not released to the press.
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Marine Enforcement Officer Ramon Carrillo with Brantley Lake State Park said two men were working on an inoperable jet ski and wanted to test it on water.
They entered the park from Champion Bay, Carrillo said, and launched the jet ski. It broke down in the lake, and when the men tried to fix the vehicle high winds blew one of the men into the water, Carrillo said.
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“They were trying to fix it, and the winds picked up and knocked the gentleman into the water,” he said.
The man attempted to swim to shore, while the winds blew the jet ski and other man back to land. The second man made it to shore and informed park staff who launched their boat and attempted to find the missing man.
He couldn’t be found, so the Park called police who Carrillo said were also unable to find the man as of Tuesday, even with the use of sonar scanning.
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The water at Brantley Lake was cold during the search, as low as 43 degrees, Carrillo said, just 11 degrees warmer than freezing.
Neither man was wearing a lifejacket, he said.
“It all happened because they weren’t wearing lifejackets,” Carrillo said. “People need to wear them when they come out here.”
Entrances to the lake were closed as the incident was being investigated, but the park and campgrounds remained open. As of Tuesday afternoon, the boat ramps remain closed at the park.
“As soon as the Sheriff’s Office opens the scene, it will open for normal operation,” Carrillo said.
The investigation was ongoing by the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office and New Mexico State Police.
An Eddy County Sheriff's Office spokesperson declined to comment.
Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Police search for jet skier reported missing at Brantley Lake
