Windsor Teen Who Drowned After Capsize Was Legally Without Life Vest
WINDSOR, Colo. (CBS4) -- Mason Mages, 13, and his 8-year-old brother were exploring an island in the middle of a private lake Thursday when a light afternoon breeze suddenly cranked into high wind. The two boys tried unsuccessfully to paddle their canoe back to the shore.
Their canoe capsized, tossing both into the rough water. Mason's brother was wearing a life jacket and made it to shore.
Mason was not and did not.
A dive team pulled Mason's body from the water at 7:08 p.m., almost four hours after he was last seen.
The state of Colorado's boating regulations mandate anyone 12 years of age and younger must wear a flotation device at all times they are in a boat. Mason was within the rules.
Emergency crews arrived at Rock Bridge Lake, one of several small bodies of water in the neighborhood, to wind gusts approaching 45 miles per hour. They reported "white caps" atop large waves and could not safely deploy inflatable boats into the water.
In fact, crews first had to rescue two bystanders who had taken the boys' canoe and attempted to search for Mason themselves. They, too, were capsized.
"They were blown into a (five-foot) sea wall on the east side," said Todd Vess, a battalion chief for Windsor-Severance Fire Rescue. "It was really rough against that wall, beating up people, including our divers. You couldn't climb out of it on your own, especially in those conditions."
Crews searched from shore until a heavier boat from Loveland Fire Rescue arrived. That first search, however, provided no results.
While those crews reset for a second search, the boat carried a Greeley firefighter and her search and rescue dog, Saker, through several passes of the water. Saker pinpointed a spot and divers recovered Mason's body five minutes later.
"Saker made a huge impact in the operations," Vess stated. "The outcome was not what we wanted, but we were able to bring closure to the family. All of our hearts and thoughts are with this family and all that were involved in the tragic situation. Weather played a significant factor in this tragedy and is a stark reminder of how quickly Colorado weather can change, and how important life safety vests are while being on the water."
Mason's 8-year-old brother and the two adult bystanders were checked out by medical personnel and were not injured.
Rock Bridge Lake is part of the Pelican Lakes Country Club in the Water Valley subdivision.
