A 48-year-old Utah man drowned while competing in a fishing derby Saturday afternoon.
The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office identified the man as Lance Heninger of North Ogden, Utah. According to the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office, Heninger and two companions, Carson West of North Ogden, Utah and Scott Gorder of Ogden, Utah, were competing in the Ducks Unlimited Fishing Derby and had launched their boat from Buckboard Marina early that morning.
The men did not return home later that night and concerned friends and family found the trio’s pickup truck and empty boat trailer at Buckboard. The family then notified the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office.
According to a release from the sheriff’s office, Cpl. Steve Powell, Deputy Sheriff Chris Sutton and a sheriff’s office intern, Colter Kofoed, left Buckboard in the sheriff’s office patrol board and searched for the missing men.
At about 1:30 a.m., West was found on the east bank of the gorge. Gorder was found still in the water 15 minutes later.
The two were taken back to Buckboard and transported to Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County, where they were treated and released.
According to the release, Gorder and West told deputies that at around 4 p.m., Saturday, while they were fishing, the wind picked up violently and the water became very choppy.
One wave swamped the boat and the men began bailing, but another wave swamped the craft completely and all three went into the water. West and Gorder were wearing personal floatation devices while Heninger was not. Gorder is estimated to have been in the water for about 10 hours.
After the two were sent to Rock Springs, the sheriff’s office marine unit, with help from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department searched for Heninger’s body. He was located in a cove along the gorge’s east bank at about 4 a.m., Sunday morning.
An investigation into the incident continues.
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