Genoa man drowns in Lake Tahoe at Marla Bay

UPDATE July 19: The person who drowned at Marla Bay on Monday has been identified as William Dunham, a 79-year-old Genoa resident (not 80 years old as previously released). He had fallen overboard while he was attempting to tie his boat onto a mooring ball in Marla Bay in Lake Tahoe.

The conditions at the time were unfavorable due to sustained winds of 10-15 miles per hour from the southwest creating waves inside Marla Bay. Dunham was not wearing a life jacket at the time he went into the water. After going overboard, Dunham sank below the water’s surface where he was recovered by the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department.

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Tahoe Douglas Fire, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, and the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department all responded to the area and initiated search and rescue efforts.

MARLA BAY, Nev. - Divers with South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue recovered the body of an 80-year-old man from 20 feet below the surface of the lake near Marla Bay on Monday afternoon.

Around 4 p.m. on July 18, Tahoe Douglas Fire Department and the Douglas County Sheriff's Office responded to a call about a man who failed to resurface after jumping off his boat to hook it up to a buoy. At first, an exact location of where the man might be was not provided, so a Care Flight helicopter was called to provide support from the air as first responders attempted to locate the man in Lake Tahoe.

South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue (SLTFR) was called to the scene after the man's body was spotted about 20 feet below the surface. That distance was too far down for Tahoe Douglas personnel at the time, and SLTFR is trained to go below with its diver equipment and tanks. They were able to recover the unidentified man.

The 80-year-old man had been spending a day on the lake in his boat with his wife and family, including grandchildren.

At this time it is unknown if the deceased drowned due to Cold Water Shock.

No other information is available at this time.