Wyoming authorities say the bodies of two men whose UTV plunged into the Keyhole Reservoir north of Moorcroft Thursday night while trying to rescue a man who’d fallen through the ice were recovered Sunday afternoon.
Names have not been released, but both men were residents of the Pine Haven Community.
The Crook County Sheriff Jeff Hodge says rescue efforts were reclassified Friday as a recovery effort that continued for 2 more days before both bodies were found and recovered Sunday about 4:00 pm in Keyhole Reservoir.
Sheriff Hodge issued a thank you to all those who’d taken part in or supported the search effort, describing it as “an extremely difficult mission,” and offering thoughts and prayers to the families and the community.
It all began Thursday night when a man riding a UTV on the frozen reservoir fell through the ice. He pulled himself out and was lying on the ice talking on the phone with the 911 center when a second UTV with 3 men disappeared as it crossed the lake.
After first responders reached the second man, they began looking for the second UTV. They found a man in open water and were able to bring him to the ice. He confirmed he had been on the second UTV.
While the two rescued men were taken by ambulance to a hospital in Gillette for medical treatment, search and rescue efforts began for the two other men despite winds of 40-50 mph, poor visibility, and frigid temperatures.
The rescue effort was suspended about 11:00 Thursday night because of the weather and resumed Friday morning, before the decision was made later in the morning to transition to a recovery mission.