(U-WIRE) MANHATTAN, Kan. — The search resumed Friday morning for two missing Kansas State University students at Tuttle Creek Reservoir.
Kyle David Chapman, 17, freshman in computer science, and Christopher Nathan Shipley, 18, freshman in animal science, both from Olathe, Kan., are still missing after an intensive search of the reservoir Thursday.
The body of Timothy Michael Bennett, 19, a freshman in environmental design from Kansas City, Mo., was found Thursday morning wearing a life jacket.
Rescuers have made the switch from a search-and-rescue to a recovery operation, Brian McNulte, operational manager at Tuttle Creek State Park, said. He said he doubted if the two students were alive, but if they were, he said their chance of survival was low because of heavy winds and low temperatures Thursday night.
Police speculated that Bennett died of hypothermia. Water temperatures have been around 49 degrees since Tuesday. Officials also said the students probably were wearing warm-weather clothing because of Tuesday’s highs in the 60s.
“A person in water will lose body heat fast in these temperatures,” McNulte said. “That’s why we’re speculating hypothermia at this time.”
McNulte said foul play is not suspected.
“The only thing we were informed of is they were just going out for a day of sailing,” he said.
The individuals were last seen between 2:00 and 3:00 Tuesday afternoon before leaving to go sailing and were reported missing at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday.
A search was conducted from 5:30 p.m. until midnight Wednesday and from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday. A team of search dogs, rescue boats and a helicopter searched for the students on the Pottawatomie side of the reservoir, near Carnahan Cove, because of wind conditions Wednesday.
The helicopter spotted the capsized sailboat near the cove at 9 a.m. Thursday and rescuers found Bennett’s body against the shoreline around 9:15 a.m.
The boat appeared to have no damage, but the keel and rudder were found detached from the main portion of the boat in separate areas of the cove, officials said.
Carnahan Cove is about two miles from the Blue Valley Yacht Club where the students departed Tuesday in a yellow, 15-and-a-half-foot racing sailboat owned by Chapman.
Family members were at the site of the accident Thursday, Pat Bosco, dean of student life, said. Chapman and Shipley’s families were informed that their two missing teen-agers would most likely not be found alive.
“We have talked to the families,” McNulte said. “We explained that we are now in recovery mode, and they accepted and understood the slim chance of survival.”
Bosco said the three freshmen, who lived in Marlatt Hall, were popular students and Eagle Scouts, and they had a lot of experience around water.
“K-State’s going to take this very hard,” he said. “These were three students that were close to finishing out their first semester at the university. They were very involved and others knew them. This is an unfortunate tragedy.”
Bosco said the students were friends in high school. He said their scouting and sailing activities brought them together.
“Students and faculty are grieving for the loss of life,” he said. “They were good guys from the response we are receiving. It is a loss to the K-State community.”
Four boats, a dog team and rescuers on horseback will participate in the operation today, McNulte said. He said there would be an extensive search of grassy areas and below the water. He said it is possible that rescuers will drag the reservoir Friday. The lake is 40 feet deep at its center.