Bellevue Teen Found Dead In Lake Chelan

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By By KOMO Staff & News Services

Summary

An 18-year-old was rescued from a Lake Chelan canoeing incident but his 17-year-old friend was found dead on Saturday.

Story Published: Sep 4, 2005 at 4:02 AM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 2:03 AM PDT

MANSON, WASH. - An 18-year-old was rescued from a Lake Chelan canoeing incident but his 17-year-old friend was found dead on Saturday, the Chelan County Sheriff's department reported.

A Chelan County Sheriff's helicopter found the body of Anthony Sanchez of Bellevue on Saturday morning in about 25 feet of water about 100 yards from where his friend, Jim Baker of Renton was pulled out of the water Friday night, near Wapato Point, said Sheriff's Sgt. Mike Harris.

A lakeside resident called 911 at 10:29 p.m. Friday to report hearing calls for help from the lake, a sheriff's office dispatch log said. Ken Reid said Saturday morning that his wife called authorities while he got his boat ready to search.

Deputy Jeremy Mathena arrived within a couple of minutes and went with Reid in the boat, Reid said. In less than five minutes, they spotted Baker floating face-up in the water. "Only his face was showing in the water; he wasn't trying to swim," said Reid, a 33-year-old geologist from Seattle. "It was all he could do to raise his arms."

Shivering, Baker asked where his friend was, Reid said. Reid and Mathena made a quick search of the immediate area, about 400 yards offshore, but headed back in because they were worried about Baker, who was taken to Lake Chelan Community Hospital, suffering from hypothermia.

As they were heading back, they saw a pair of flip-flops floating in the water and a green canoe that was swamped but upright, he said.

Reid and Mathena's quick action saved the one boy, who was moments from going under, Harris said.

Reid believes that the boys had probably been in the water for a while before he heard their cries for help. The boys were not wearing life jackets and sheriff's deputies do not believe there were any in the canoe.