Rescuers find man's body in Lewis River

Police, firefighters, boats, rescue swimmers and scuba divers late Thursday found the body of a 28-year-old man who was last seen swimming in the East Fork of the Lewis River at Paradise Point State Park.

Rescuers were called to the park beach under Interstate 5 near La Center about 8:20 p.m., said Jim Flaherty, firefighter-spokesman with the Vancouver Fire Department.

Crews from Clark County Fire & Rescue went to the scene and sent their boat, as did deputies with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

At 10 p.m., rescuers on the two boats were using long poles in a grid-search effort to feel the man if he was underwater there.

Firefighters from Woodland were watching the riverbank from the north side.

Officials also called for the Technical Rescue Team that includes highly trained firefighters from Vancouver and Fire District 6. A rescue swimmer with the team was in the water, helping with the grid search.

In addition, scuba divers from Clark County Dive Rescue and the Southwest Washington Organization of Rescue Divers were about to enter the murky water.

A diver found the man’s body about 10:30 p.m., Flaherty said. His name was not immediately released.