Man Lost in Kern River Is Presumed Drowned
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A Canoga Park man disappeared while tubing in the Kern River Saturday night and is presumed to have drowned, Kern County Sheriff’s deputies said Monday.
Marcos Rayes, 23 was last seen crossing a levee in the Kern River in an inner tube.
“He went over a small levee where the velocity of the water increases and disappeared after that,” said Deputy Richard Dixon.
Three divers and 19 members of the search and rescue team searched for Rayes Saturday night and Sunday. The search was called off Sunday afternoon.
“At this point, he’s reported missing and presumed dead,” Dixon said.
Although Rayes was in a non-restricted area near Hart Memorial Park in northeastern Bakersfield, the swift waters are often difficult to navigate, Dixon said.
“We highly recommend that people not swim in the Kern River,” he said. “It’s dangerous.”
This year, six people have drowned in the Kern River, including an 18-year-old Maywood man who drowned last month while swimming in a restricted area.
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