COLCHESTER — A local man went missing in a lake after saving his child from distress early Wednesday morning, prompting a large-scale search that has now become a recovery operation.
Cory Lavallee, 37, was reported missing around 9:46 a.m. after he helped his child reach an inflatable boat but failed to resurface himself.
Witnesses on a nearby sailboat rescued the children and alerted authorities.
Multiple agencies, including the Colchester Police Department, Fire Department, Technical Rescue, Rescue, the U.S.
Coast Guard, Vermont State Police, Fish and Wildlife, and the South Hero Fire Department, participated in the search efforts.
A Coast Guard helicopter and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection aircraft also provided aerial support.
Despite the extensive search, Lavallee was not found, and the operation was halted at dusk.
The search is set to resume on July 4.
