Merle Henry Daly, 80, of Billings is missing and presumed drowned on the Buffalo Bill Reservoir. 

Daly, formerly of Cody, was boating with a friend on the north end of the reservoir near the south shore when the accident occurred, according to the Park County Sheriff’s Office. Daly and Kay Becker, 77, also from Billings, had pulled along shore on an island directly south, across the reservoir from the Buffalo Bill State Park boat ramp. Both subjects departed the boat and went ashore to rest.

According to Becker, at some point the boat became dislodged and drifted away from the island. Daly entered the water and attempted to swim to the boat. He was not wearing a floatation device. Becker stated that Daly swam some 50 feet from the shore toward the drifting boat, when she heard him call out and then disappear beneath the water. 

The call came into the Park County Communications Center at 6:30 p.m. Monday. However, Becker said that the accident happened over two hours prior to the call, according to the Park County Sheriff’s Office. Because she was stranded on the island with no way to reach shore, she had to wait to flag down a passing boat to summon help.

Two Park County Sheriff’s deputies as well as officers from the Buffalo Bill State Park and Wyoming Game and Fish immediately responded to the state park boat ramp where they met up with Becker. 

The Park County Search and Rescue Unit also was immediately deployed to begin a search for Daly. Although they found the boat as well as a life jacket Becker attempted to throw to Daly, they were unable to locate him before nightfall and increasing winds forced them to discontinue the search. 

Search and Rescue resumed the search for Daly this morning (Tuesday).

If anyone has any information, contact the Park County Sheriff’s Office at 307-527-8700.