Kayaker in Washington's Olympic National Park presumed dead after fiancee tries in vain to save him
A 37-year-old man was presumed dead after abandoning his kayak as it took on water in a cold lake in Washington state's Olympic National Park, officials said. Travis Valenti's fiancee also went into the chilly waters of the park's Lake Crescent as she tried in vain to rescue him.
The couple were on the lake Friday afternoon when Valenti's kayak started to take on water, park officials said in a statement Tuesday. Valenti, of Massapequa, New York, tried to keep paddling but had to abandon the kayak and go into the water.
His fiancee tried to rescue him, but her kayak overturned, and she also went into the lake, park officials said. She was able to swim to shore, but Valenti wasn't. Neither was wearing a life jacket.
Valenti was last seen about a quarter mile offshore in an area of the lake with a depth of about 400-500 feet, officials said. Workers at a nearby resort initially used a motorized vessel to look for him, and park rangers and firefighters joined the search.
Rangers searched for Valenti for over two hours Friday and conducted a secondary search Saturday without finding any signs of him.
According to park officials, Lake Crescent has surface water temperatures around 50 degrees Fahrenheit during this time of year. Officials warn that water that cold can have severe effects on people.
"Sudden immersion into cold water will impact a person's breathing and over time, their ability to move extremities," officials said in Tuesday's statement.
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission urges people to be cautious about any water temperature below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lake Crescent is the second deepest lake in Washington, reaching depths of up to 624 feet, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.