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Bodies found in Lake Washington presumed to be missing boaters

Published  October 1, 2019 10:18pm PDT
FOX 13 Seattle

Bodies found in Lake Washington presumed to be missing boaters

The bodies of Vanna Nguyen, 33, and James Le have been located nearly a month after they went missing.



MERCER ISLAND, Wash. -- Two bodies pulled from 110 feet of water in Lake Washington Monday afternoon are presumed to be the two boaters who've been missing for a month. 

According to a news release from the Mercer Island Police Department, the bodies were recovered about a mile from the Mercer Island shore in the 7800 block of West Mercer Way. 

Vanna Nguyen, 33, and James Le have been missing since Sept. 2, when officers responded that night to reports of loud music coming from a boat offshore in the 7700 block of West Mercer Way.

Officers found the boat -- a red, 20-foot ski-type boat that was still playing loud music. On board the boat, officers found cell phones and IDs belonging to Nguyen and Le, but they were nowhere to be found.

Family and friends held search parties in an effort to find them. Police said marine officers spent "many hours" scouring the lake.

"Our officers have been in contact with the families during this investigation and the ME’s office informed them of the recovery. Our thoughts are with them in this trying time," Mercer Island Police said in the news release. 

Police said there were no obvious signs of foul play or trauma. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause of death and confirm their identities.