One man is dead after he and two other people fell through the ice while walking on a frozen lake in Coconino County.
At 3:15 p.m. on Sunday, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to Woods Canyon Lake after three people were reported to have fallen through the ice. Two people made it out of the water, but one was still missing.
A dive team from Gila County was called in to work with Coconino County Search and Rescue units. The team arrived at 5 p.m. and searched for the missing man, a 26-year-old from Phoenix, until 7 p.m., when the search was halted for safety.
Monday morning, the dive team returned and found the deceased man at 10:15 a.m.
Visitors should use extreme caution and avoid frozen waterways, Coconino County Sheriff’s officials said.
In 2022, three people died after falling through ice at the same lake.
Woods Canyon Lake is located east of Payson in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, in an area popular among hikers, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts.
Reach the reporter at cvanek@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter @CorinaVanek.