Rescuers recover body of Woodlake man who drowned in Kaweah River

The body of an 18-year-old man from Woodlake was recovered Monday from the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River, officials from Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks reported.

Tomas Martinez, 18, fell into the river Sunday and rescue efforts got underway Monday.

This is the second fatality in the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River this year.

Officials at the parks warned that as temperatures warm, melting snowpacks are making for high, rough waters. Visitors should be cautious about approaching rivers and slick rocks on the shoreline.

“Rivers in these parks this year are extremely dangerous,” Incident Commander Dave Fox said. “Visitors should not go in or near them. These places are cold, swift, and dangerous.”

The National Park Service was assisted in recovery by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Tulare County Fire Department, California Highway Patrol, YODOGS and Exeter Ambulance.

This story was originally published May 1, 2017 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Rescuers recover body of Woodlake man who drowned in Kaweah River."