A 39-year-old kayaker was found dead in a Texas lake on Sunday — 10 days after an 18-year-old kayaker died in the same lake.
The two seemingly healthy, athletic men — Robert Jones and high-schooler Luke Nickens — died in Fort Worth's Benbrook Lake after their kayaks capsized. Both went missing until their bodies were later recovered by dive teams.
But, although the two similar accidents might sound more like a sci-fi movie than coincidental tragedies, officials say there was one other thing the two had in common: neither were wearing life jackets.
"When you're in the water, anything can happen," said lake official John White, via WFAA, giving examples of cramping up or accidentally breathing in water while gasping as things that can go wrong when someone capsizes.
"We have a saying here at the park," he added. "Life jacket worn, nobody mourns. That is so true."
From WFAA:
The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office, Benbrook Fire Department, Cresson Fire Department and Texas Game Wardens responded to the lake around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 29. Witnesses told officials the kayak flipped, and the kayaker did not resurface, a news release states.
Authorities discontinued the search Saturday night and resumed Sunday morning. Divers pulled the body up around 2 p.m. …
Just ten days ago, an 18-year-old drowned while kayaking on Benbrook Lake. The man disappeared after an incident caused him and two others aboard the vessel to fall in.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers loans life jackets for free at Benbrook Lake and its other DFW-area parks.
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