Kayaker’s body found over a week after fiancee tried to save him, WA officials say
A 37-year-old kayaker’s body was found in a lake at a Washington national park more than a week after he vanished in the water, officials said.
Travis Valenti’s body was recovered June 21 from Lake Crescent in the Olympic National Park, the National Park Service said in a news release.
Valenti of Massapequa, New York, was kayaking with his fiancee June 9, close to Log Cabin Resort near Port Angeles, when his boat started filling with water, park officials said.
He was forced into the water, so his fiancee tried to rescue him, but her kayak overturned, officials said.
She swam to the shoreline, but Valenti disappeared in the water.
Rescuers with the park and Christian Aid Ministries, a nonprofit from Berlin, Ohio, then set out to find his body on June 21, according to officials.
The nonprofit used “boat-mounted sonar technology” and a remote operated vehicle. They found his body at a depth of 394 feet, officials said.
Rescuers brought his body to the shoreline, and he was taken to the coroner’s office.
“Sudden immersion into cold water will impact a person’s breathing and over time, their ability to move extremities,” officials said.
They warned swimmers to use a buddy system while in the water and to always wear a life jacket.
Port Angeles is about 85 miles northwest of Seattle.
Drowning
At least 4,000 people die from drowning every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and drowning is a leading cause of death for children.
Some factors can make drowning more likely, including not knowing how to swim, a lack of close supervision, not wearing a life jacket and drinking alcohol while recreating near or in water.
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance said there are tips to help keep you safe in the water, including checking local weather conditions, never swimming alone and choosing the right equipment.
“Don’t hesitate to get out of the water if something doesn’t feel right,” the group said on its website. “Whether it’s that the current is getting rough, rain has started to fall, or your body is just not responding like you would like it to due to fatigue or muscle cramps, then just leave and return to the water another day. It’s always a good thing to trust your instincts.”
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