STURGIS, S.D. – The Meade County Sheriff’s Office says a young man in distress in Bear Butte Lake was rescued by a group of paddle boarders on Friday.
Meade County Sheriff Pat West says the young man was swimming in the lake when he became tired and was having trouble staying afloat. He says a group of paddle boarders were in the lake and noticed the young man in distress. They were able to get the male up on a board and to the shore where he was treated by Sturgis Ambulance crews.
West says without such quick action by the paddle boarders, the incident could have ended in tragedy.
Along with Sturgis Ambulance and the Meade County Sheriff’s Office, Sturgis Police and Sturgis Fire responded to the scene.
The MCSO would like to emphasize the need for safety when in and around the water. Bear Butte Lake can be surprisingly deceiving, as many think it’s a shallow body of water.
The lake is plenty deep enough to get people in trouble.
Officials say always use appropriate life vests and safety gear when participating in water sports. It should be noted that all the paddle boarders this day had life vests, which aided in the save.
