FAYETTEVILLE — Washington County search and rescue crews combed Lake Wedington on Saturday for a swimmer who went under water and never resurfaced.
Michael Smith, a camper at Lake Wedington, said he helped search for the man.
“I was in a kayak when I saw a woman waving her arms,” he said. “She said he was swimming and looked like he was starting to panic. She told him to breathe and that’s when he went under water.”
Washington County deputies wouldn’t release any information immediately Saturday, other than to say they were responding to a possible drowning.
Washington County Urban Search and Rescue used inflatable boats to search for the man.
Members of Farmington Fire Department were also at the scene.
Both sides of the lake were sectioned off with yellow caution tape.
Smith said the missing man is 42-years-old. He said the man was wearing a “lime green cap, flippers and was using a snorkel.”
Other witnesses, who declined to be named, said the man was training for the swimming portion of the Ozark Valley Triathlon, which is the USA Triathlon State Championships for Arkansas, according to the organization’s website.
Bruce Dunn, who is listed as the contact person on the website, didn’t return a voice message left on his cell phone Saturday.
The triathlon is scheduled to be held Sunday at the lake.