North Texas drowning: 17 deaths so far at DFW area lakes

LEWISVILLE, Texas — On Friday, park rangers cruising alongside Lake Lewisville with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have been retaining a watchful eye. 

The group instructed WFAA on Friday that it had seen 17 drownings throughout the seven Dallas-Fort Worth area lakes it oversees since final October, which is the beginning of its present fiscal 12 months. 

From October 2020 to October 2021, there have been 14 drownings throughout the identical jurisdiction, per the USACE. 

“We’re not even to the July 4th weekend yet, and we’re already seeing higher numbers of these tragic accidents than we did last year,” USACE Lake Lewisville supervisor Rob Jordan mentioned. 

Jordan added that many current drownings have been preventable. The victims weren’t sporting life jackets or private flotation gadgets. 

“We’re seeing a higher number of visitors this summer. That’s likely due to the economy–people want to stay closer to home, so they’ll come to a local lake rather than take a trip to the beach,” Jordan mentioned. 

“With that brings safety challenges. When they come out to the lake, we want to ensure that people are cautious and constantly reminded to wear a life jacket when they are around water.” 

The most up-to-date drownings have been at Lake Lavon final weekend, when three have been killed after their boat overturned. 

Family members recognized two of the lads Sunday afternoon as Jose Dominguez, 60, and Rafael Olea, 28. The Collin County Sheriff’s Office recognized the third sufferer as Julio Bibiano-Gonzalez, 34.  

The USACE was out on Lake Lewisville on Friday, honing in on boat security checks. 

Those, per park ranger Chandler Sanford, embrace ensuring everybody on the boat has a life jacket and sound-producing gadget in case of an emergency. 

They’re additionally out to ensure a ship is not over capability. 

Sanford and a fellow park ranger instructed WFAA they rescued 16 from a wakeboard boat in early June that had capsized. 

“There were people in the water that weren’t able to get their life jackets on in time,” Sanford mentioned. “In that split second, it’s not easy to get on. We like to stress the importance of knowing where your life jacket is in the boat and being able to access it easily.” 

The information is sobering. The USACE hopes it encourages boaters and lakegoers to be protected. 

“Know your limitations, know your swimming abilities, and just remember there are hazards out here,” Jordan mentioned.