The body of an 18-year-old man was recovered from a lake in Washington state by rescue units on Monday morning.
According to Eastside Fire and Rescue, family and friends told a park ranger the man went into Lake Sammamish around 7 p.m. EDT on Sunday. At 8:53 p.m. EDT, the family contacted a park ranger to report him missing.
Eastside Fire and Rescue said crews searched the water for about an hour and could not find the man. The King County Sheriff's Office's marine unit went into the lake, found the man’s body and removed it from the water, according to Eastside Fire and Rescue.
The sheriff's office is handling the investigation, Eastside Fire and Rescue said, adding it doesn't know if the man died from drowning or from the cold water. It is currently unknown if drugs or alcohol were involved in the man’s death.
Cold water in the hot weather
The National Weather Service said cold water drains heat from the body four times faster than cold air, and cold-water shock can instantly change breathing, heart rate and blood pressure. Often the sudden gasp for air and rapid breathing can cause someone to drown.
Beaches in the Washington area are not typically staffed with lifeguards until after Memorial Day, and even then, a lifeguard shortage from the pandemic could have lifeguard stations unstaffed.
The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, which maintains many lakes and reservoirs, said it only takes an average of 60 seconds for an adult to drown. For children, that number is typically 20 seconds.
Washington State Parks recommended wearing a lifejacket while boating or paddle boarding.
Lake Sammamish is a freshwater lake eight miles east of Seattle in King County.
