EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – The body of a missing airman assigned to Kirtland Air Force Base was recovered from Elephant Butte Lake on Monday afternoon, May 26, the Air Force base said in a news release.
The Air Force base said the airman went missing on Saturday evening, May 24, at the lake near Las Cruces.
“Despite extensive search and rescue efforts and the inability to find the Airman, activities switched from a rescue operation to a recovery operation,” read the news release.
The base said multiple agencies participated in the search and recovery efforts, including New Mexico State Park Rangers, Elephant Butte Fire Department, New Mexico Department of Fish and Game, New Mexico State Police, Texas Department of Public Safety Divers and the Combat Search and Rescue Team from the 306th Rescue Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
Officials are withholding the name of the deceased until after next of kin notification has been made, the base said.
As we previously reported, the airman was not identified by name, only that they are assigned to the 351st Special Warfare Training Squadron at Kirtland.
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