On Sunday afternoon, April 30, 2017, the Saline County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) was dispatched to Lake Winona for a possible drowning.
It appears that several kayakers were in the area of the spillway when one of them experienced difficulty. The other kayakers attempted to aid their friend, but the high water made it impossible.
Fire department personnel, Grant County Swift Water Rescue, Game and Fish and Arkansas State Police also responded to the scene. After several hours, the kayakers who attempted to aid their friend were rescued.
Fire department personnel, officers from Game and Fish as well as members of the SCSO Criminal Investigation Division (CID), remained on the scene overnight. Due to the fast running water, rescue units were unable to safely reach the location where the kayaker was last seen.
This morning, the location of the kayaker was reached and his body was recovered by rescue workers.
MySaline is waiting on permission from the SCSO to release the name of the deceased.