Swimmer who vanished in Arizona lake is found dead 21 feet below surface, officials say

A swimmer who went missing at an Arizona lake was found dead on Sunday, local news outlets report.

The man, 20-year-old Neria Aranbayev, was found about 21 feet below the surface of Lake Pleasant, near Phoenix, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement given to 12 News.

Police said there were no signs of foul play, as Aranbayev drowned while trying to swim back to the boat from the lake’s shore, Fox 10 reported.

Aranbayev was among a group of people swimming near the anchored boat around 2 p.m. on April 24, 12 News reported.

A fundraiser established on GoFundMe to cover Aranbayev’s funeral expenses says that he had an impact on many people’s lives.

“His smiles, warm embraces and incredible sense of humor will not only be missed, but treasured in all of our hearts,” the fundraiser said.

The Peoria Fire-Medical Department, which initially responded to news of Aranbayev’s disappearance before the county sheriff crew joined the search, cautioned swimmers to be careful while on the water.

“Please wear a floatation device, have a cell phone, know where you are located, have someone on the boat to monitor those in the water,” the department said in a Facebook post. “Care for each other!”

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.

Lake Pleasant is about 45 miles north of Phoenix.

This story was originally published April 25, 2022 at 12:41 PM with the headline "Swimmer who vanished in Arizona lake is found dead 21 feet below surface, officials say."