Drowning Victim Located at Blacktail Park
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IDAHO FALLS — The body of an Idaho Falls man who drowned at the Blacktail boat ramp at Ririe Reservoir was recovered just before noon on Tuesday.
23-year-old James Southard was located close to where he had been swimming about 20 yards from the bank. He went swimming with a friend Monday evening when he was unable to make it back to shore because of high wind and waves.
Investigators say the two men were swimming south of the construction area by a large dock in the water. They had a tube that blew off of the dock and they were trying to retrieve it. The men attempted to swim to shore but, according to deputies, Southard didn’t make it back to shore.
The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team and Bingham County Sheriff’s Office participated in the search effort.
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