Angels Camp, CA…On Wednesday, June 14th, 2023, at approximately 5:00 PM, the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office received a report regarding a drowning incident at the New Melones Reservoir. The victim, a 39-year-old male from Europe who was not a resident of Calaveras County, was visiting family in the area at the time.

Deputies from the Calaveras County Marine Safety Division, Calaveras County Sheriff Dive Team, Tuolumne and Amador County Marine Safety Divisions, Rangers from the Bureau of Reclamation, and Calaveras Search and Rescue Canine Unit responded to the scene to assist in the search for the missing individual. Comprehensive search efforts have been ongoing, with the dive teams utilizing specialized techniques and equipment to meticulously search the waters of the reservoir.

During the investigation and interviews with witnesses, deputies gathered information regarding the incident. It was revealed that the male victim had used the onboard slide to enter the water from a boat and subsequently drifted away. As he returned to the boat, he began experiencing fatigue and encountered difficulty while swimming.

When he disappeared into the water promptly notified the Sheriff’s Office of the situation.

The search efforts remain ongoing with the assistance of several allied agencies.