Amazon engineer dies after going for swim in icy waters of Lake Tahoe

A young Amazon engineer died after he went for a swim in the deceivingly icy waters of Lake Tahoe, according to police. 

Yadessa Aga, 32, was found unresponsive at the North Sand Harbor boat ramp in Nevada around 8pm Monday, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office said.

When deputies arrived, they discovered that Aga had been brought to shore by bystanders. Life-saving measures were immediately performed on him at the scene, where he was pronounced ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, officials stated. 

His death is being investigated as an accidental drowning, after Aga swam toward a group of offshore boulders around dusk before going underwater, the sheriff’s office told the San Francisco Chronicle. 

Aga, a software engineer from Austin, Texas, had decided to stop at the popular beauty spot after attending a church conference, a GoFundMe page read. 

While the Sand Harbor state park is known for its crystal clear water and sandy beaches, Lake Tahoe’s water is known to remain very cold, even in the summer months. 

The frigid temperatures take over the water because of the lake’s mᴀssive depth, consistent snowmelt, and deep-water upwelling – when cold water from the depths of the lake rises to the surface. 

According to Take Care Tahoe, a public education campaign, sudden immersion in the water can cause increased breathing rates and your muscles to lock up. 

Yadessa Aga, 32, died on Monday evening after he was found unresponsive at the North Sand Harbor boat ramp in Nevada just off of Lake Tahoe, police said

While the Sand Harbor state park is known for its crystal clear water and sandy beaches, Lake Tahoe’s water is known to remain very cold, even in the summer months

The cold water shock has resulted in an average of seven people drowning in Lake Tahoe every year, the campaign stated. 

Aga has been remembered as someone who displayed ‘genuine kindness, warmth, and joy,’ the fundraiser said. 

‘His humble spirit, contagious smile, and generous heart made everyone feel loved and welcomed. 

‘He was deeply cherished by his family, friends, church, and all who had the privilege of knowing him,’ it continued. 

The fundraiser has asked the public for donations to help his grieving family give him a ‘dignified final resting place.’ 

As of Thursday morning, more than $15,000 had been raised. 

Tributes for Aga have also poured in on social media, with Temesgen Mengesha Dabsu, a pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in El Cerrito, California, taking the time to honor the young man. 

He revealed that Aga came to the US from Ethiopia to get his graduate degree before becoming a software engineer at Amazon. 

Temesgen Mengesha Dabsu, a pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in El Cerrito, California, said that Aga came to the US from Ethiopia to get his graduate degree before becoming a software engineer at Amazon

‘He was widely known as a gifted, hardworking, humble, and promising young man who carried great hope for his family and community. He was also the son of a retired Ethiopian Airlines pilot,’ Dabsu added. 

Another friend shared the GoFundMe page on Facebook and shared her grief. 

‘I am completely heartbroken by the news. You were so young, so incredibly talented, and gone far too soon. 

‘This loss is beyond our imagination. Rest in peace, until the resurrection. We will meet again, and we will hold you in our hearts forever,’ she concluded. 

Aga’s cause of death remains under investigation.  

The Daily Mail contacted the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, and Amazon for comment.