Tragic reminder as 2 teen boys killed in separate holiday drownings

Ohanapecosh River. From the Lewis County Sheriff's Office.



LEWIS COUNTY -- The sunny holiday weekend provided a tragic reminder for all that while water can look inviting, cold rivers and lakes can also prove deadly.

Two teenagers were killed in separate drownings this weekend in Lewis County reported Q13FOX News.

The first drowning occurred around 9:30 a.m. Friday when a 17-year-old Port Orchard teen fell in the Ohanapecosh River near the Cedar Grove Campground in Lewis County.

The Lewis County Sheriff's Office said the teen was taking photos of the river with friends when he slipped in and was swept away. His friends tried to reach him with a stick, but he disappeared downstream near a whirlpool with a fast-moving chute.

Searchers from Lewis County Rescue teams were not able to locate the boy. He is presumed drowned. His identity has not yet been released.

Later Friday, a 18-year-old man from Tacoma drowned at Alder Lake near the end of Pleasant Valley Road in Mineral.

According to the Tacoma News Tribune, the boy was trying to cross the lake by holding onto a log with friends. The boy slipped under the long, and he was not found.

Search crews could not locate the teen's body Friday.

The drownings are a tragic reminder that while the weather is warm, many lakes and rivers in the Pacific Northwest are frigid and dangerous. Always enter open water with caution.