July 20, 2015 GÇô Updated information. The 59-year-old man who-ádrowned in the-áSkykomish River just off of Al Borlin Park in Monroe on Saturday, July 18th, has been-áidentified as Raymond C. Meinzer of Tacoma. Next of kin has been notified by the-áMonroe Police Department.
Seven members of the family had gathered on Saturday to float down the Skykomish River. They launched two rafts from the Ben Howard boat launch followed by some in-áfloat tubes. The victim was one of the family members in a float tube. No one was-áwearing a life jacket.
The victim was trailing behind the other family members and got stuck in an eddy. The-áfamily members saw him get to the bank of the river, leave his float tube and go into the-áwoods. They then saw him come out of the woods, get back in his float tube and re-enter-áthe water. That was the last time they saw him as they rounded a curve in the river.
A fisherman and another witness saw the victim floating in the water. They stated that he-áappeared to be in distress and attempting to swim. They called out to him and he did not-áanswer. He appeared to take several gulps before going under the water and 911 was-ácalled.
The Snohomish County Sheriff's dive team recovered the body.
NOTE GÇô Previous reports of the victim jumping into the river from the Lewis Street-áTrestle are not correct. The family's plan that day was to float from the Ben Howard boat-álaunch to the Lewis Street boat launch.
The Monroe Police Department continues to investigate this incident-ápending reports from the Snohomish County Medical Examiner.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONROE GÇô July 18, 2015 9:05 pm: A 59-year-old man from Tacoma drowned while-áswimming in the Skykomish River this evening. Officers were called to Al Borlin Park in-áMonroe for a report of a male that had gone under and had not resurfaced. The Snohomish-áCounty Sheriff's Office dive team was called to the scene and recovered the body from the river-áabout an hour after the call came out.
The man had been swimming with family members in the Skykomish River at Al-áBorlin Park. As the rest of the family rounded a corner in the river, they looked back and did not-ásee their family member. Witnesses had seen the man jumping into the river earlier in the day.-áThe Snohomish County Medical Examiner responded to the scene.
For additional information on this media release, -ácontact Administrative Director-áDebbie Willis at 360-794-6300
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