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More human remains found in Lake Mead as water levels hit record low

It’s a spot filled with swimmers and boat lovers each summer, but as this lake’s water level drops due to drought, a disturbing sight has emerged. WARNING: Graphic.

Gruesome discovery at bottom of drought-ridden Nevada lake

WARNING: Graphic.

As the water continues to drop at Lake Mead in the US, the grizzly discovery of more human remains have been found – bringing the tally to four since May.

According to the New York Post, the newest skeletal remains were found at Swim Beach in Nevada on Saturday and are being examined by the Clark County Coroner’s office, the National Park Service said.

The identity of the remains and the cause of death are not currently known.

It was back on May 1 that the first body was found in the lake as the water level dropped due to an ongoing drought. Then another was discovered on May 7 and a third on July 26.

All the remains have yet to be identified.

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The newest discovery comes on the heels of a man, Todd Kolod, claiming he believes the second set of remains belong to his father, according to the Daily Mail.

Mr Kolod was just three years old in 1958 when his father Daniel Kolod drowned in Callville Bay at age 22 while on a speed boat with a friend, the report said.

Both men were thrown overboard when the vessel hit a wake. The friend survived while Mr Kolod’s father’s body was never found.

He now believes the skeleton could be his father’s since it includes missing teeth and a partial denture – which his father wore after he lost his front teeth in a car accident, the outlet reported.

A number of remains have been found at the lake. Picture: Lindsey Melvin
A number of remains have been found at the lake. Picture: Lindsey Melvin
Some gruesome bones were found at Swim Beach. Picture: Lindsey Melvin
Some gruesome bones were found at Swim Beach. Picture: Lindsey Melvin

Another clue linking the remains to his father came out on Wednesday when the coroner aged the skeleton at between 23 and 28 at the time of death.

While DNA samples were taken from the Callville Bay remains, Mr Kolod says he’s eager to give a DNA sample himself to see if it is his dad.

“The pace of being contacted about a DNA sample – I’m starting to lose hope a little bit,” he said, according to the Mail.

“Maybe this new finding lights something up,” he added.

Lake Mead is America’s largest reservoir, which was formed between Nevada and Arizona in the 1930s with the construction of the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River. The body of water serves 25 million people in cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Tuscon and Las Vegas.

A formerly sunken boat is shown on Saddle Island on July 28, 2022 in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada. Picture: Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP
A formerly sunken boat is shown on Saddle Island on July 28, 2022 in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada. Picture: Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP
The lake is at 27 per cent of its capacity, with the water level at its lowest since being filled in 1937 after the construction of the Hoover Dam. Picture: Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP
The lake is at 27 per cent of its capacity, with the water level at its lowest since being filled in 1937 after the construction of the Hoover Dam. Picture: Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP

But the lake has receded to its lowest levels ever – dropping more than 50m since 1983 – amid a mega-drought in the western US that has been exacerbated by global warming.

As the water level has dropped, not only have human remains been unearthed but a sunken World War II ship has also emerged.

The lake is enjoyed by boats and swimmers especially in the hot summer months. Picture: Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP.
The lake is enjoyed by boats and swimmers especially in the hot summer months. Picture: Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP.

Former Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman has even speculated that bodies of people killed by the mob may turn up in the lake, as it is only a 30-minute drive from the Strip that was founded on organised crime.

“There’s no telling what we’ll find in Lake Mead,” Mr Goodman said in May. “It’s not a bad place to dump a body.”

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and has been republished with permission

Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/more-human-remains-found-in-lake-mead-as-water-levels-hit-record-low/news-story/194309c4808f8f2e4de4e6051ab88c61