Authorities found human remains in Lake Mead twice in one week.
The first time authorities found human remains was on July 8, when a fisherman caught a skull in his net.
The second time was on the 12th when a woman walking her dog discovered bones along the shoreline.
Authorities are currently investigating both cases and have not released any further information.
The discovery of human remains in Lake Mead is a grim reminder of the dangers swimmers and boaters face there. The lake, which stretches for miles along the border between Nevada and Arizona, is popular among those looking to cool off on hot summer days. But it can also be dangerous: In 2016, six people drowned there, and in 2014 a woman was killed by an alligator.
Where is Lake Mead?
Lake Mead is an artificial reservoir on the Colorado River created by the Hoover Dam project in 1936. It provides water for agriculture and cities such as Las Vegas and Los Angeles and hydroelectric power for Nevada, Arizona, and California.
When were the human remains found in the lake?
On Sunday, authorities found a man’s body in the water near the shoreline (Sheriff’s Office). On Wednesday, they found a woman’s body floating in the water about 50 yards from shore (Sheriff’s Office).
Authorities are not sure if these incidents are related or not. They are currently investigating the circumstances of each incident.
Authorities have found more human remains in Lake Mead, the largest volume reservoir in the United States, east of Las Vegas. The National Park Service said rangers responded Saturday after witnessing human skeletal remains in Currville Bay at Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
.An investigation and forensic examination of the second set of remains revealed that they belonged to a male who likely died by suicide. The first set of remains is still under investigation, but they are not related to the second.
The service said the Clark County coroner was called to determine the cause of death, and the investigation is ongoing. This was the second time human remains were found in Lake Mead in a week. On Sunday, May 1, boaters spotted a barrel that later contained human remains, reports the Associated Press.
Water levels in Lake Mead have fallen after two decades of climate change-aggravated drought, and federal, and state officials recently struck a $200 million deal to keep the reservoir that millions of people rely on viable. But authorities have warned the public that falling water levels in Lake Mead could lead to the discovery of more bodies hidden below the surface.
What do the authorities say?
“I think there’s a good chance the water levels will drop, and we’ll find more human remains,” Las Vegas Police Lieutenant Ray Spencer told KLAS-TV after the first remains were found. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said that it believes the victim found on May 1 died from a gunshot wound. Investigators said the victims were likely killed in the mid-1970s and early 1980s, based on clothing and shoes found with the remains. Authorities are still working to identify the victim.