Family member tried to swim life jacket to drowning man on Table Rock Lake

Another person has drowned on Table Rock Lake in less than a month.

Eugene M. Nelson, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, was swimming a bit away from a boat he had been on Saturday close to 4 p.m. in the Point 1 Area when he started to struggle.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Mike McClure said a family member from Nelson's group tossed a flotation device toward him, but the 79-year-old was too far away.

She then jumped into the water to try to save Nelson, McClure said.

"She swam, tried to swim a life jacket out to him and before she could get to him, he went under," McClure said.

Nelson did not resurface.

More: 'Traumatic, tragic event' leaves teen dead, another injured at Table Rock Lake, says sergeant

Another witness on the boat pinpointed the general area Nelson went underwater for law enforcement, and Western Taney County Dive Team began recovery efforts as the highway patrol used sonar from above water to try to find him.

"We were looking initially at about 13 to 16 foot of water in that particular spot," McClure said.

Diving efforts were suspended Saturday evening, but started anew Sunday by the Missouri State Highway Patrol Dive Team. Nelson's body was recovered, and he was pronounced dead by the Stone County Coroner.

Nelson's death marks the eighth drowning for Troop D in 2022.

Swim in pairs. Wear a life jacket.

McClure said this drowning incident is another reminder to people to wear personal flotation devices, or PFDs, while swimming.

"We're humans," he said. "We think that we can adapt to the water just like we think we can fly and do so safely like a bird, but we're not, so we have to use the life jacket, we have to use flotation, we have to use our ability to swim and hope things go well and we don't fatigue (and) we don't cramp."

Drowning can happen in an instant and anything can compromise your ability, McClure said. Water may go over your head. You lose your footing. You may have a disability or may be older.

"We have to take those precautions, use logic and wear a life jacket or swim in pairs," McClure urged.

More: This weekend may be the worst heatwave in Springfield in more than 120 years

The hot temperatures are sending more and more people to the water in hopes of finding relief from the heat. Historically speaking, summer time is when a majority of drownings and near drownings take place, McClure said.

Never take it for granted, he added.

Sara Karnes is an Outdoors Reporter with the Springfield News-Leader. Follow along with her adventures on Twitter and Instagram @Sara_Karnes. Got a story to tell? Email her at skarnes@springfi.gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Man drowns on Table Rock Lake while swimming