KIRKLAND, Wash. — Recovery crews on Lake Washington had to call off the search for a missing person for the second day in a row on Sunday.
Crews there blamed a series of issues for the decision, the latest being equipment failure.
A young man went missing off a boat near Holmes Point around 1:30 Saturday morning. According to investigators, no drugs or alcohol were involved.
Within hours, several agencies joined the search.
“Kirkland police, Kirkland fire, King County Sheriff’s Office marine units, the Coast Guard all put in efforts to find him overnight,” said deputy Mike Mellis of the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO).
The sheriff’s office is now in charge of the search and has reported that recovery is difficult due to the water depth in the area.
A spokesperson said it was called off on Saturday due to heavy winds.
Rescue crews said on Sunday that a boater ran into the cable attached to a sonar-equipped robot searching the lake floor, forcing them to postpone their efforts once again.
They expect to continue the search on Monday.
“We know the family is monitoring our activities,” Mellis said. “They are depending on us to get them closure. We intend to do just that. It may take some time, though.”
The KCSO said with more people heading out to the water to enjoy the warm weather, situations like this highlight the importance of life jackets. Even strong swimmers can end up in trouble if they suffer a medical emergency or are struck by a boat.
“There are lots of different scenarios that can cause a panic scenario in the water and having a life vest is your guarantee,” Mellis said.
KIRO 7 spoke to the young man’s family as they waited for an update on Sunday.
They said they did not want to release his name or any other details until he is found.
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