JUNCTION CITY—Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf confirms one man drowned Sunday at Milford Lake. “A gentleman, about 65 years of age, went for a fishing pole that was going  overboard.  And he fell in when he went for the fishing pole.  He went down and never resurfaced. ”

The drowning occurred Sunday morning in the West Rolling Hills area of the Lake. Side scan sonar and drag lines are being used by authorities to try and locate the victim’s body.

Wolf stated that authorities were called to the scene just after 9:30 a.m. and responded quickly.

The name of the victim has not yet been released.

Wolf said the water in the area where the drowning occurred ranges anywhere from about six feet to 25-feet deep.   “Most of the area that we are searching in is a solid mud bottom. We have been getting targets on the side scan sonar that so far have turned out to be tree limbs, and stumps, and rocks.”

In addition to the Geary County Sheriff’s Department the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism, and Geary County Emergency Management have assisted  in the search, along with the Shawnee Mission Township dive team. Authorities planned to continue the search until darkness Sunday evening and resume at daybreak Monday morning.

Wolf confirmed the victim had been aboard a pontoon boat when the accident occurred.