4 Dead in Mid Columbia Rivers Last Weekend, BE SAFE FOLKS!
Five people have drowned already in the Columbia and Yakima rivers. Three more died this weekend.
- A man fishing found a body Sunday morning near the Cable Bridge. Officials believe he was a transient and do not suspect foul play.
- A 69-year-old Ephrata man drowned in Banks Lake Friday while swimming from a boat.
- A 34-year-old man from Olympia drowned in Park Lake near Coulee City Saturday.
- An 18-year-old boy from Boardman drowned in the Columbia River south of Tri-Cities Friday. He is the 2nd teen to drown in that stretch of the river this summer.
The previous five included two in the Yakima near Prosser, two in the Columbia near where the Snake enters it, and a teen in the Columbia near Umatilla.
In most cases alcohol was involved. Authorities encourage people playing in the river to wear appropriate, Coast Guard-approved life vests.