26-year-old drowns as family members try to teach him how to swim, NC cops say
A 26-year-old man died as family members tried to teach him how to swim on a North Carolina lake, officials said.
The man disappeared underwater during the swimming lesson, setting off a frantic search Sunday, July 16. Crews found his body about two hours later, according to the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies reported being called at about 3 p.m. to a possible drowning on High Rock Lake. It happened off Pebble Beach in the town of Denton, roughly 40 miles south of Winston-Salem.
Jose Moises Ramirez-Olvera, a Winston-Salem resident, reportedly went missing on the lake as relatives gave him a swimming lesson.
“Jose went under the water and wanted to swim to a buoy about 40 feet away and never resurfaced,” the sheriff’s office wrote in a news release.
Though an investigation continues, deputies told McClatchy News in an email that nothing was suspicious about the circumstances surrounding the 26-year-old’s drowning death. The man’s body will be taken to a medical examiner’s office.
Drowning
At least 4,000 people die from drowning every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and drowning is a leading cause of death for children.
Some factors can make drowning more likely, including not knowing how to swim, a lack of close supervision, not wearing a life jacket and drinking alcohol while recreating near or in water.
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance said there are tips to help keep you safe in the water, including checking local weather conditions, never swimming alone and choosing the right equipment.
“Don’t hesitate to get out of the water if something doesn’t feel right,” the group said on its website. “Whether it’s that the current is getting rough, rain has started to fall, or your body is just not responding like you would like it to due to fatigue or muscle cramps, then just leave and return to the water another day. It’s always a good thing to trust your instincts.”
This story was originally published July 19, 2023 at 10:37 AM with the headline "26-year-old drowns as family members try to teach him how to swim, NC cops say."
