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Date: December 19, 2008
Contact: Andrew S. Munoz, 702.293.8691

LAS VEGAS  (Dec. 13, 2008) – Lake Mead Park Rangers rescued two 64-year-old Las Vegas fishermen Saturday night after their boat sank in the Virgin Basin of Lake Mead four miles southeast of Echo Bay.

The National Park Service received the report by cellular phone at approximately 8 p.m. Saturday.  Winds were gusting to 45 mph and the air temperature was at 36 degrees.  Rangers launched a rescue boat from Callville Bay and began their search of coves in the north end of the Virgin Basin.  The sunken boat was located with just the bow above water, but there was no sign of the men.

A search of the shoreline turned up both men suffering from hypothermia on Ramshead Island.  According to rangers one of the men saved the other by pulling him approximately half a mile to shore.  It took rangers about 4-hours to find them.

“The two men are fortunate.  They were both wearing life jackets and were able to call for help with their cell phone,” said Andrew Muñoz spokesman for Lake Mead National Recreation Area.  

“We also encourage boaters to carry a GPS and marine VHF radio as cell phone coverage isn’t always reliable on the lake,” said Muñoz.  The Park Service dispatch center monitors the marine distress frequency, VHF channel 16.

- NPS –

GOOGLE ™ MAPS LOCATION OF RAMSHEAD ISLAND: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=36.265245,-114.403467&sll=36.2613,-114.395914&sspn=0.026299,0.052271&ie=UTF8&ll=36.266404,-114.403467&spn=0.006574,0.013068&z=16&g=36.265245,-114.403467&iwloc=addr