Police and fire call off search of Echo Lake

Rescue unit searching Echo Lake
Photo by Tammy Hjort

After a small kayak was discovered floating upside down in the middle of Echo Lake on Saturday, May 18, 2024 and a caller to 911 reported seeing a man in the kayak two hours earlier, Shoreline Fire rescue swimmers and King County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit searched for five days without recovering a body.

Fire and KCSO Marine Unit do not have another lake search planned at this time. 

As for potential outcomes of this incident, the Marine Unit is following their protocols for water recovery. 

After conducting their initial searches, they would expect a drowning victim (if present) to surface within weeks in this body of water. 

Photo by Michael Wansley

However, KCSO still has no known or suspected Missing Person reports that would match this particular scenario. 

We therefore do not know for certain at this time if a drowning has occurred. 

We would encourage lakeside residents and visitors to report any unusual objects observed in the lake.