A man drowned at Horseshoe Lake Park in Woodland on Monday afternoon, June 30, after going underwater and not resurfacing, prompting a multi-agency response and search that ended with the recovery of his body.
Emergency crews were dispatched shortly after 3 p.m. when a 911 call reported a man had gone underwater while on a flotation device. His belongings were still on the shore, and family members told authorities they had not seen him resurface.
Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue responded with its Technical Rescue Team, along with crews from Fire District 6 and Vancouver Fire Department. The Woodland Police Department, the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Department and AMR also responded to the scene.
"Our crews got one of our rafts and were able to get out there and do some diving," CCFR Community Outreach Coordinator Sam Lewis said. "We had a drone, and they have an underwater kind of device they use to be able to see what's going on."
Despite the rapid deployment of rescue resources, responders found no visual of the man on the water and had no confirmed location to target.
"No one saw anyone on the water," Lewis said. "No one knew exactly where he was at."
After about an hour of searching, the effort shifted from rescue to recovery. The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office and dive rescue team took the lead in the recovery efforts.
The man's body was located and recovered at approximately 6:30 p.m.
Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue emphasized the importance of life jackets following the incident.
“Please always wear a life jacket during any recreational water activities, even if you are in an innertube or floating toys,” the agency said in a statement. “A life jacket is one of the most effective pieces of safety gear.”
The Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office will determine the man’s official cause of death. The incident remains under investigation by local authorities.
The man's identity has not been publicly released.
