Two men who drowned in Avocado Lake on Sunday, June 5th, have been identified as 25 year old Silverio Calihua and 23 year old Alvaro Calihua, both of Fresno.

Shortly before 3:00 pm on Sunday, visitors at Avocado Lake contacted dispatchers at the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office to report two men went underwater and never resurfaced. Visitors eventually found Silverio Calihua and brought him to shore and began CPR. Cal Fire firefighters arrived 10 minutes later and took over CPR compressions. The man was transported to Community Regional Medical Center where he later died.

Members of the Sheriff’s Office Dive Team entered the lake to search for the other missing man. At 5:30 pm, deputies recovered the body of Alvaro Calihua.

The specific circumstances of what lead to these two men drowning is unknown.

The Sheriff’s Office encourages everyone to be safe in and around pools and all natural waterways. Take these simple measures.

1) Wear a life jacket. Make sure children have one that fits them properly.
2) Stay out of the water if you are not an experienced swimmer.
3) Parents should watch their children at all times.
4) Do not mix alcohol and swimming. Alcohol causes swimmers to fatigue faster than normal and can create dangerous situations.
5) Understand that when it’s hot outside you will get tired faster than usual.
6) Respect the water. The temperature of the water remains cold and the current is often stronger than it appears. There can be debris in the water, which is difficult to see and may cause hazardous situations for swimmers. Be careful of the mud on the bottom of lakes and rivers, it’s easy to sink in some spots and get your feet stuck.