Girl fell overboard into lake. They found the life jacket she was wearing — but not her
A 12-year-old girl was on a boat with her family on San Vicente Reservoir in San Diego on Saturday when she fell overboard, ABC 10 reported. Authorities are still looking for her.
The girl, who was wearing a life jacket, was in the bow of the 25-foot ski boat, which was towing a float that had some adults on it, San Diego Police Sgt. Bryan Brecht told ABC 10.
She was on the boat with her parents and younger sister, as well as a local couple that was operating the boat, Brecht told NBC 7. The family was visiting from Canada.
At about 6 p.m., the people on the float fell off and the boat slowed down, according to City News Service. That’s when the girl fell overboard and in front of the boat.
Officials said they think the boat continued moving and may have run the girl over, CBS 8 reported. San Diego lifeguard Lt. Rich Stropky told CBS that the boat was “not operating under its own power” when the girl fell over the side, and was just drifting along.
Just after the girl fell, several adults jumped in the water to find her but couldn’t, Stropky told NBC 7. One of the adults went back onboard to make the 911 call and search efforts started soon after.
The girl’s life jacket was found in the water, City News Service reported.
Crews, including divers and lifeguards, looked for the girl until sunset on Saturday, when they had to suspend the search because it was too dark, according to CBS 8 and ABC 10. The search resumed Sunday morning and continued for a third day on Monday, according to City News Service.
The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department estimates that the reservoir is about 130 feet deep, spokeswoman Monica Muñoz told NBC 7. “There are actual trees that are at the bottom,” Muñoz told the television station.
The reservoir also has large rocks at the bottom that can snag divers as well, Stropky told CBS.
“Unlike the ocean, the water is not moving — unless they open the dam then we are good, because what is in place on the bottom will likely stay there,” Stropky told NBC 7. “Now we just need to locate that area.”
This story was originally published August 13, 2018 at 11:41 AM with the headline "Girl fell overboard into lake. They found the life jacket she was wearing — but not her."