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Authorities recover body of man who drowned at Lake Pleasant

Saturday marks the sixth weekend in a row that an incident has caused law enforcement to respond, and someone has lost their life at the Lake.

PEORIA, Ariz. — Authorities have recovered the body of 52-year-old Lorne Jonassen who drowned at Lake Pleasant on May 28.

Tuesday evening, around 9:30 p.m., the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office ROV unit was able to find, and bring back Jonassen's body from a depth of 147 feet.

Officials said that there are no signs of foul play.

On Saturday, Peoria Fire Department responded to Lake Pleasant for reports of a man who possibly drowned. MSCO said witnesses reported a man who was not wearing a life jacket went underwater and did not come back up. 

Officials said a boat was pulled out of the water and crisis counseling has been provided for the family.

Jonassen's death marks the sixth weekend in a row that someone has died at the Lake. Last weekend, a woman died after her leg was amputated in a boating accident.

RELATED: Woman dies after Lake Pleasant boating accident amputated her leg

Three men and an 83-year-old woman have also died at the Lake on consecutive weeks. 

RELATED: 5 tips for a safe trip to Arizona's lakes

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Swim safety

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children between ages 1-4 aside from birth defects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three children die every day as a result of drowning. Here are some tips from the CDC on how to protect children around water: 

Learn life-saving skills. 

Everyone should know the basics of swimming (floating, moving through the water) and CPR. 

Fence it off. 

Install a four-sided isolation fence, with self–closing and self–latching gates, around backyard swimming pools. This can help keep children away from the area when they aren’t supposed to be swimming. Pool fences should be completely separate the house and play area from the pool. 

Life jackets are a must. 

Make sure kids wear life jackets in and around natural bodies of water, such as lakes or the ocean, even if they know how to swim. Life jackets can be used in and around pools for weaker swimmers too. 

Keep a close watch 

When kids are in or near water (including bathtubs), closely supervise them at all times. Because drowning happens quickly and quietly, adults watching kids in or near water should avoid distracting activities like reading books, talking on the phone, or using alcohol and drugs. 

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