LEWIS COUNTY, Wash — The body of a Randle man who was reported to have drowned in Riffe Lake was recovered Tuesday.
Deputies were called to Riffe Lake at about 3 p.m. Monday for reports of a possible drowning. Witnesses from two different vessels said a 36-year-old man from Randle tried to swim to shore from an inoperative vessel. The man appeared to be in "distress," according to witnesses.
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Officials said a boat with a tow tried to rescue the man from the vessel, but they could not reach him in time.
"Unfortunately, Lewis County is not a stranger to these types of tragedies and we would like to remind the public while warm weather has finally arrived, the water within our lakes and other bodies of water remain cold and have a potential to be hazardous," the Lewis County Sheriff's Office said in a release Tuesday.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office Dive Rescue Team responded to assist in finding the man, but they were unsuccessful before nightfall. The team resumed its search Tuesday for the missing man.
Following a deadly weekend, deputies are calling for swimmers to wear life jackets when they are out in the water. Four people drowned over the weekend, including two children. Two kids are in critical condition after being pulled unresponsive from Lake Stevens on Sunday.
Although the weather is warm, lakes and rivers in western Washington are still dangerously cold.
“I will put my guys at risk and myself to go rescue someone,” said Sgt. Rich Barton with KCSO's Marine Rescue Dive Unit.
Barton said he's seen an increase in drownings over the last couple of years, with 29 drownings in King County in 2021 alone. According to county data, two-thirds of the deaths could have been prevented by a life jacket.
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