A 32-year-old Amazon software engineer from Texas died Monday evening after becoming unresponsive in the waters of Lake Tahoe, despite the rapid efforts of bystanders and emergency responders.

Yadessa Emiru Aga, of Austin, was pulled from the water near Sand Harbor, a popular beach and boating area on the Nevada side of the lake near Incline Village. Authorities identified him as a software engineer employed by Amazon in Austin.

According to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to the North Sand Harbor boat ramp around 8 p.m. Monday after receiving reports of a possible water rescue. Aga had swum toward a group of offshore granite boulders around dusk before going underwater and becoming unresponsive.

Bystanders entered the water and brought the unresponsive man to shore before deputies arrived. Sheriff’s deputies immediately began CPR, and emergency medical personnel continued resuscitation efforts upon reaching the scene. Despite those efforts, Aga was pronounced dead at the par

The sheriff’s office is investigating the death as an accidental drowning. The Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office said the official cause of death has not yet been determined, and examination reports typically take 10 to 12 weeks to complete.

Aga had been visiting Lake Tahoe with close friends after attending a church conference. A GoFundMe page set up by his family described him as a man of “genuine kindness, warmth, and joy,” noting his humble spirit, contagious smile, and generous heart. He was deeply cherished by family, friends, and his church community. The fundraiser aims to help cover the costs of returning him home and funeral arrangements in both the United States and Ethiopia.

Sand Harbor State Park is known for its clear waters, sandy beaches, and large granite formations, attracting more than a million visitors annually. Public safety campaigns such as Take Care Tahoe warn that Lake Tahoe’s cold water can cause cold-water shock even in summer, contributing to an average of about seven drownings on the lake each year.

This incident comes weeks after another drowning near Sand Harbor in June. Aga’s death has left colleagues, friends, and family mourning a man remembered as both an exceptional professional and a kind-hearted individual.