Body recovered from Lake Travis during search for missing swimmer

According to the Travis County Sheriff's Office, the swimmer was reported missing on April 17.

AUSTIN, Texas - A body was found In Lake Travis after crews spent the weekend searching for a missing swimmer.

"A body was found in the area of Devil's Cove where the man was reportedly seen," said Kristen Dark with the Travis County Sheriff's Office.

According to TCSO, the swimmer was reported missing on April 17. This week an autopsy is being done to see if the body they found this weekend matches that the missing swimmer as well as the cause of death.

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This marks the first body recovered from the lake so far this year. "The number of people who go missing on Lake Travis every year varies. It correlates with the lake levels when the lake is very full or people are out on it and more accidents happen," said Dark.

Last year, five swimmers went missing, and in 2019, four went missing. In all these incidents everybody was recovered, though sometimes this isn’t always the case. "Unfortunately there are times we’re not able to uncover the missing person and we hate that. We want to bring closure to the families we don’t ever want to have to abandon the search," Dark said.

Lake Travis Dangers

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people visit Lake Travis.

In 2018 Manuel Salas was last seen swimming in the lake. According to TCSO, recovery can be difficult at the lake because of what lies below the water.

"The area is basically a flooded canyon everything that was there is still there there’s a full pecan orchard. There are full-grown 90-foot trees there, are houses down there and docs, there’s a cement manufacturing area from when they built the dam, there’s all kinds of stuff at the bottom of that lake that make it perilous," Dark said.

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While there are crews out in the lake to assist those in need, Lake Travis is large and it could take time for help to arrive. The sheriff's office recommends swimmers take the proper steps to ensure their safety.

"When things go wrong in Lake Travis, it can be deadly and one thing that can almost guarantee that you’ll have a better outcome is to wear that life jacket," said Dark.