Divers find body of swimmer at Blacktail Park

The body of a man missing in the Ririe Reservoir at Blacktail Park has been found.

Divers with the Bonneville County and Bingham County sheriff’s offices had been looking for James Southard, 23, of Idaho Falls, since he disappeared on the water around 8 p.m. Monday.

His body was found just before noon Tuesday.

Southard was one of two men swimming south of the construction area by a large dock in the water. They had a tube on the dock. The weather changed to high wind and lightning, and the tube blew off the dock. The men tried to get it back, but were unable to.

They then tried to swim to shore.

One of the men made it to shore turned around and saw Southard struggling and go under the water. The man who made it to shore contacted police.

Deputies say Southard was not wearing a life vest.