KENTUCKY (LEX NEWS) — A deadly weekend on the water in Kentucky claimed three lives, including two drowning deaths at Lake Cumberland and one in Lexington.
Search and rescue crews recovered 66-year-old Ricky Turner of London on Sunday in Lake Cumberland, according to Pulaski County Deputy Coroner Keith Price. Turner died in the area of Pitman Creek.
"Family told me Mr. Turner was a good swimmer...don't know what happened when he jumped in, but he didn't resurface," Price said.
Russell County Search & Rescue found 42-year-old Andy Schmidt of Lexington just before 10 a.m. Sunday in Lake Cumberland. Russell County Coroner Mark Coots said his cause of death was drowning.
Covering Kentucky
42-year-old Lexington man found deceased in Lake Cumberland Sunday morning
A few hours later, working with London Laurel County Rescue and using an underwater drone, crews located Turner.
"They located the body, 60 feet of water, zero visibility, and we sent a diver down and the divers recovered the body and brought it up," Price said.
Price described the challenge of underwater search efforts.
"It's like going out on your kids soccer field, put a blindfold on, get on your knees, crawl around and try to find something," Price said.
Crews remained committed throughout the search.
"We're never gonna leave anybody, we'll keep at it until we find them," Price said.
A separate accidental drowning in Lexington claimed the life of a 26-year-old Saturday night, 26-year-old Fernando Jose Miguel Bravo at a reservoir near Richmond Road.
With Labor Day weekend — one of the busiest water weekends of the year — less than two weeks away, Price offered a simple but urgent message.
"Put your life jacket on," Price said.
Price also advises that if you are out on the water and see someone go under, mark the spot and take a photo of the bank. That information could be extremely helpful to search and rescue crews.
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