A man drowned at a state park in Merced County

MERCED, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A man has died after drowning at Hatfield State Park in Merced this afternoon, according to the Merced County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies were dispatched to Hatfield State Park for a report of a man possibly drowning. According to officials, the man had entered the water but was not seen for several minutes.

That prompted the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office Air Support Unit to respond to the scene, but was unable to locate him from the air, officials say.

Officials say the Merced County Sheriff’s Office Water Rescue and Recovery Team was called, where divers were able to locate the man in the water, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The man’s identity has not been officially released.

The Merced County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public that this is a sad reminder of the dangers of swimming in a river, and if you plan to do so, please use caution and remember to wear a life jacket when swimming.

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