Monday afternoon at about 3:55pm, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office received a call that a swimmer at Fern Ridge Reservoir had gone underwater and not resurfaced. The swimmer was last seen about 30 feet off of the bank at the Richardson Park day-use swimming area. Deputies were on scene within about 15 minutes. Divers from the Lane County Sheriff volunteer dive team also responded and began searching the area in the water where the victim had last been seen. The victim was located deceased under the surface of the water just prior to 7:00pm. He was not wearing a life jacket. The identity of the victim, a 17 year old male, is being withheld at this time.
