A group of eight ice skaters ventured onto a not-so-frozen reservoir in the Sierra on Saturday, and the day ended in tragedy.
The incident happened Saturday just after 2 p.m. at Stampede Reservoir near Truckee, according to a press release from the Sierra County Sheriff's Office. Six of the eight skaters went through the ice, and the remaining two began trying to help the others get back out of the frigid water. Five of the individuals managed to get out of the water, but a sixth person who had been furthest away from the group, disappeared and ended up drowning.
As KPIX reports, the body of the lost individual was recovered late Sunday morning after an extended search effort that included dive teams and helicopter flights over the reservoir.
"The Sierra County Sheriff's Office extends our sincere condolences to the victim's family," the sheriff's office writes on Facebook. "We would also like to recognize the outstanding efforts of our mutual aid partners who assisted in this recovery operation: Washoe County Hasty Team and Placer County Dive Team."
Photos of the reservoir show a not-fully-frozen-over lake, with ice only at the edges.
"We urge everyone to stay off the ice on area lakes," the sheriff's office warned on Saturday. "It is impossible to know the safety and stability of the ice, especially with the recent warmer temperatures."
Stampede Reservoir was formed with the building of Stampede Dam in 1970, impounding the Little Truckee River in an area north of Truckee. A popular recreation spot in the summertime for boating and fishing, the reservoir is also used for ice fishing in the winter.