Search Operations Yield No Trail of Kayaker Who Went Missing At Carter Lake

A search operation has been launched for a missing kayaker at Carter Lake in Colorado after a kayak was found turned over.

The missing person is said to be a 29-year-old man from Loveland. His kayak was found by a ranger after 2 p.m. Sunday, reported Coloradoan.

The Larimer County Sheriff's Office was notified about the incident after 2 p.m. Sunday. Rangers who found the upturned kayak took a boat onto the lake to find a dog, uninjured and wearing a flotation device, in the water. Dive teams and other emergency response teams continued the search, but their efforts yielded nothing.

Rescuers used sonar and drones to look for the missing man. Rescue operations were suspended at 1 a.m. Monday and resumed around 8:30 a.m. on the same day. Two dredge boats and a boat with divers were searching the lake for the kayaker on Monday, the Sheriff's Office confirmed.

"The winds at Carter Lake can be very unpredictable and intense. So recreaters should be aware of the conditions and have a plan and safety equipment,” Jared Kramer, a spokesman at the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, said as per CBS Denver.

Although the search operations initially included looking for the kayaker on the land, there was no evidence to indicate that he was on the land. The land search was called off on Monday.

Following the incident, Carter Lake was closed for visitors on Monday and will remain closed until further notice, according to Larimer County, Colorado's official website. The Sundance Trail on the west side of the reservoir will also be closed until further notice.

The identity of the missing person has not been publicly released, but police have been in contact with his family.

The search operations are aided by Larimer County Dive Rescue Team, Loveland Fire Dive Rescue Team, Larimer County Sheriff's Office (emergency services, deputies and drone team), Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Larimer County Natural Resources, Loveland Fire Rescue Authority and Berthoud Fire Protection District.

The Sheriff's Office has also requested people with information to contact 970-416-1985.

Carter Lake is three miles long and about one mile wide. This 1,100-acre reservoir is surrounded by 1,000 acres of public land. It is well-known for recreational activities such as fishing, sailing, water skiing, camping, picnicking, swimming, scuba diving and rock climbing.