Reno, NV – A man was rescued from Lake Tahoe on Wednesday after getting separated from his jet ski near Cave Rock and spending nearly two hours in the water.
His wife had gone out looking for him and found his jet ski between Zephyr Cover and Cave Rock, but her husband was nowhere to be seen. After reporting him missing, several boats were dispatched to the area including boats from the Nevada Department of Wildlife, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Around 7:30 p.m., the US Coast Guard located the man conscious and alert wearing his life jacket near where his jet ski had been recovered. He was conscious and alert, and despite being slightly hypothermic, he was otherwise uninjured.
“I can safely say wearing a life jacket saved this man’s life,” said Game Warden Captain Brian Bowles, Boating Law Administrator for the state. “The surface water at Tahoe right now is in the upper 60s, but just below the surface it is much colder. Without a life jacket, your odds of surviving in cold water for any length of time are not good.”
The Nevada Department of Wildlife encourages everyone to always wear a life jacket when on the water. Whether you’re on a kayak, stand up paddle board, personal watercraft or a boat, a life jacket can make the difference between life and death if you find yourself in the water.