BEAR LAKE, Wash– Crews called off the search today for a missing paddleboarder because of issues with visibility. The paddleboarder fell into the water yesterday afternoon and didn’t resurface.
According to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department, a 6-foot layer of silt at the bottom of the lake is making it extremely difficult for divers to see anything at all.
Deputies say the young man was not wearing a life jacket when he fell off his paddleboard into the 50-foot-deep lake last night.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Department said they will continue the search tomorrow morning and may have access to an underwater drone that will help divers with visibility issues. A deputy on the scene said it will be remarkable if they can find him, and they are trying their best to do so.
The lake remains open to the public, with many people continuing to swim and paddleboard in the water. However, the incident has prompted safety concerns among visitors.
Taylor Espinoza, a Spokane resident who regularly paddleboards, said the discovery about the dangers of the activity has changed her perspective on safety equipment.
“It definitely makes me more wary especially because I don’t normally wear a life vest cause I don’t think of it as a dangerous sport or as a dangerous hobby to do but I think I am going to get a life vest after learning that,” Espinoza said.
Espinoza also expressed sadness about the young man’s fate.
“I just find it really sad, especially because he was so young. That’s heartbreaking,” she said.
Officials have issued a stark warning: everyone out on the water should be wearing a life jacket. The search is expected to continue tomorrow as crews work to locate the missing paddleboarder.
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