Man dies after falling through the ice on northern Arizona lake

PHOENIX – A man died after falling through the ice on a northern Arizona lake over the weekend, authorities said.

Three people actually fell through the ice at Woods Canyon Lake on Sunday afternoon, authorities said, but two of them were able to get out of the water safely.

A multi-agency search for a missing 26-year-old Phoenix man, identified as Abhishek Sighakolli, was launched around 5 p.m., but it was suspended due to darkness two hours later, according to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.

Sighakolli came from India and was a student at Arizona State University, according to authorities.

When did searchers find body of man who fell through the ice?

After the search resumed Monday morning, the Gila County Sheriff’s Office dive team found the victim’s body at 10:15 a.m., authorities said.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Gila County Sheriff’s Office, Forest Lakes Fire Department, Arizona Department of Public Safety and United States Forest Service all contributed resources to the search effort.

Woods Canyon Lake is located about 35 miles east of Payson. It is one of seven lakes in the Rim Lakes Recreation Area of Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.

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