An California pool cleaner drowned while trying to retrieve his hat from the Colorado River on his birthday.

Kristopher Nathaniel Logan, of San Marcos, California, was celebrating his 26th birthday on April 13 and fishing with his girlfriend when his hat blew into the water.

The tragedy occurred on the river near Davis Camp, just north of the main highway between Laughlin and Bullhead City. The camp sits on the Arizona side of the river, about 97 miles south of Las Vegas. 

Logan jumped from the pontoon boat he had rented with friends, including his girlfriend, without wearing a life jacket in an attempt to retrieve it.

In doing so, he may have accidentally turned off the boat’s engine before being swept away by a strong current.

Logan entered the water at about 11.15am but did not resurface.

A bystander on the shoreline called 911 within a minute, reporting that those on board were trying to restart the boat to reach him as he struggled to stay afloat, according to USA Today.

Police said Logan was believed to have been underwater for about an hour before his body was recovered by the Bullhead City Fire Department dive team. He was pronounced dead at the scene an hour after entering the water.

Logan's family has launched a Change.org petition in Logan’s memory calling for stricter safety measures along the Colorado River, including a proposed ‘Logan Law’ that would mandate life jackets in high-risk areas.

The petition describes his death as a ‘sudden and preventable drowning’ during an ‘everyday moment that turned tragic in seconds,’ warning that powerful currents and sudden drops in depth pose hidden dangers to visitors.

It also argues the tragedy is not isolated, pointing to similar drownings in the same stretch of water and saying existing safety measures such as warning signs are not enough.

Supporters are urging Bullhead City officials to adopt the measure, saying the cost of enforcing life jacket use would be minimal compared to the potential to save lives.

His devastated father, Stephen Logan, a fire safety systems technician and former firefighter, told AZ Central that the outing had been meant as a birthday celebration in a place his son often went to relax, describing the loss as unimaginable.

Logan, who worked as a pool cleaner and had been studying to start his own business, grew up near the ocean and enjoyed fishing and kayaking, but his family said the Colorado River can be deceptively dangerous.

‘People underestimate the river. They see the calm on the top, and it’s the current underneath,’ his father said.

Officials warned that even strong swimmers can be overwhelmed by the river’s powerful currents and cold temperatures, urging visitors to wear life jackets and follow boating safety rules.

The tragedy comes amid a string of recent fatalities along the Colorado River, including a deadly boat crash earlier this month and another drowning in February at the Grand Canyon.

Local officials say all boats must carry life jackets for each passenger, and experts caution that sudden exposure to cold water can trigger shock, rapid breathing and even cardiac arrest.

The Bullhead City Police Department said it extended its condolences to Logan’s family in a Facebook post.