RedactedNarrative: Vessel – 1987, 15’ Aluminum Tully Open Motorboat (Jon Boat) w/1 Johnson Gasoline Outboard Engine – 14 HP
  
  On 05/30/2020, at about 07:00 p.m., this vessel was cruising on the Palouse River near Lyons Ferry State Park, located near Kahlotus, WA in Franklin county.
  
  According to Law Enforcement, the occupants of this vessel had been fishing at the above location.  At about 07:39 p.m., Officers were dispatched to this location for a reported capsized vessel with one person missing.  Officers decided not to respond using their vessel as they were not familiar enough with the waterway to respond at night during a storm with high winds.
  
  When Officers arrived, they were directed to an access road at Lyons Ferry State Park near the Ranger housing area.  The vessel was located against the shoreline near where they had parked.  They walked down toward the vessel.  When they got down to the water’s edge, they noticed that they were at a small cliff about 10 feet above the shore where the vessel was located.
  
  Officers determined it was too dangerous to walk down to the vessel at night in the high winds with a thunderstorm coming in.  They marked the area with a few rocks.  It was decided that there was not much more that they could do on the shoreline at night.  They were advised that 2 of the 3 vessel occupants  were transported to Lyons Ferry KOA campground in Columbia county to stay warm while they waited for family members to arrive.  
  
  Officers spoke to Subject1.  He told them that Victim was missing.  He explained to Officers that the three of them where fishing in the “bowl” when they noticed that the storm was rolling in.  They told Victim, who was operating the boat at that time, that they should head back in.  Victim said that they would head back in a few more minutes.  Subject2 estimated that they stayed another 15 to 30 minutes.  
  
  According to Subject1, who was now operating the vessel, said that once they started back down the river the storm was starting to get bad, so they decided to follow the shoreline.  Subject2 told Officers that a few waves started to come over the front of the vessel and that she and Victim were trying to get the water out of the vessel.  Victim was getting tired of using the manual bilge pump, so he and Subject2 had switched positions so now Subject2 was operating the vessel.  
  
  Subject2 told Victim that they should go to shore and wait it out, but Victim told them that they would continue on.  Subject2 reported that at that time a big wave hit the vessel and it started to sink.  They were in the Channel next to the Whitman County shoreline when the vessel flipped.  They all got on top of the overturned vessel. They floated on the boat for a few minutes and started to float toward the Franklin County side of the river.  
  
  According to Subject2, when they were on top of the vessel, all 3 on board were wearing heavy coats and shoes.  Victim told them to start taking them off.  There were 2 PFDs on board the vessel.  None of the occupants were wearing one and they were not accessible to them.  Subject2 told Officers that they were trying to dial 911 on their cell phones but did not have service.  It was later found that the cellphone tower in the area was down due to the thunderstorm.  
  
  Subject2 said that they were close to the shore, estimated 40 feet, on the Franklin County side river so they decided to swim to shore.  Subject1 told Officers that they decided to have Subject2 go first and then Victim would go to make sure that she made it to the shore then Subject1 would go last.
  
  Subject1 reported that Subject2 jumped in the water and started to swim toward shore.  At this time Victim started to swim toward shore.  Subject1 jumped in the water and was immediately pulled under the vessel.  When he came back up, he was being swept to the Channel on the Whitman County of the river.  When he got back on the other side of the vessel toward the other two, he could no longer see Victim but could see that Subject2 had made it to the shoreline.
  
  Subject2 told Officers that after she jumped in the water, she and Victim were swimming near each other.  She then she lost sight site of Victim but thought that she could see his boots floating away from her (upriver).  She and Subject1 had to hike up the ridge and down to the Ranger’s house at Lyons Ferry State where they called 911.  Subject2’s father was called.  He arrived at the KOA campground.  He was told by Officers that nothing more could be done that night, but they would return with a Dive Rescue Team the following morning.
  
  On 05/31/2020, at 08:51 a.m., Officers arrived and launched their vessel.  They assisted Dive Rescue with recovering the vessel and towing it to Lyons Ferry State Park Marina.  Officers then went back out to the area where the Columbia Basin Dive Rescue was and stood by while they looked for Victim.  At 12:45 p.m., Columbia Basin Dive Rescue located Victim and recovered his body. Once recovered, Victim’s body was transferred to the Officer’s vessel and transported to Lyons Ferry State Park boat launch.
  
  While enroute, Officers had dispatch contact the Franklin County Coroner.  Once the Officers were back at the dock, they tied off their vessel and waited for the Coroner’s office to arrive.  Officers went to speak with Victim’s father.  He was told that his son’s body had been recovered.  He asked permission for he and his wife to see their son’s body and to say goodbye. Their request was allowed by the Coroner.
  
  0 Injuries / 1 Fatality
  No Apparent Alcohol Involvement 
  Vessel Damage Reported at $1,000
  No PFDs Were Worn
  Victim Did Have a Mandatory Boater Education Card
  