Kaw City man drowns near Pioneer Cove Marina

A Kaw City man drowned Monday afternoon in the Pioneer Cove Marina area of Kaw Lake.

Gregory Allen Skrdla, 52, was riding on a 1987 Searay operated by Ron Enderud, 60, of Kaw City about 2:16 p.m. Monday. When the vessel was northbound toward the boat ramp, approximately 100 yards from the ramp, Skrdla jumped from the vessel to swim to shore.

Once in the water, he started complaining of cramps, then went below the surface and never resurfaced, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported. He was under water for 1 hour and 12 minutes before his body was recovered by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Neither man was wearing a personal flotation device, although the vessel was equipped, the patrol said.