A Turlock Irrigation District spokesman has confirmed that a seasonal employee died while on duty at Don Pedro Reservoir.

Mitchell Rogers, 62, was a first-year seasonal employee of the Don Pedro Recreation Agency the past three months. He died Sept. 14 while swimming to take a rope out to an unattended and drifting boat near Moccasin Point, according to the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office.

“We are deeply saddened to confirm that Mitchell Rogers passed away on Sunday, Sept. 14, while on duty, and our thoughts and condolences go out to his loved ones and colleagues,” said McMillan, a communications specialist for TID. “At this time, we are investigating why he entered the water, and the details surrounding this tragic incident.”

Deputies arrived on scene just after 11:30 a.m., and witnesses directed them to the specific location where Rogers had disappeared. His body eventually was recovered by the sheriff’s dive team at around 1:30 p.m., according to Investigator Ashley Boujikian of the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office.

“The safety and well-being of our employees is our top priority,” said McMillan. “We are cooperating fully with the authorities.”