Tragedy struck at Madison City Lake on Saturday, Aug. 2, when a young man drowned while reportedly trying to retrieve a child’s floatation device that had drifted out into the water.
According to the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office, dispatch received a 911 call at approximately 4:38 p.m., reporting that someone was yelling for help in the water. According to the caller, the individual had gone under and had not resurfaced.
Emergency crews from multiple agencies—including the Madison Fire Department, Eureka Fire Department, Lyon County Fire Department, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and Kansas Highway Patrol, responded quickly and were on the water within minutes. Unfortunately, the rescue efforts soon turned into a search and recovery operation.
At approximately 8:44 p.m., authorities located the body of Alexzander D. Martin, 23, of Emporia. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
While the official investigation remains ongoing, a relative of Martin’s noted on social media that he had entered the water in an effort to retrieve a child’s floatie that had blown away. Witnesses said he began calling for help and waving his arms before going under. Several individuals attempted to reach him, but he had submerged before they could get to him.
