Body of New York man recovered from Lake Crescent
CLALLAM COUNTY, Wash. - Crews have recovered the body of a man who drowned while kayaking with his fiancée on Lake Crescent earlier this month.
On June 9, 37-year-old Travis Valenti from Massapequa, NY was kayaking with his fiancée when his kayak began taking on water. Park rangers say his fiancée tried to rescue him, but her kayak overturned too. Both were in the water and the victim's fiancée was able to swim to shore. Valenti was struggling in the water and did not resurface, park rangers said.
Officials said earlier this month that neither Valenti nor his fiancée were wearing life jackets.
On June 21 around 6:25 p.m., Olympic National Park rangers and a non-profit Christian Aid Ministries used sonar and an underwater remote-operated vehicle to locate Valenti.
He was found nearly 400 feet under the surface
"Lake Crescent is a deep and very cold body of water with surface water temperatures near 50 degrees this time of year. Sudden immersion into cold water will impact a person’s breathing and over time, their ability to move extremities. Swimmers are encouraged to use a buddy system. Boaters should always wear a life jacket and understand the risks of recreating on large bodies of water, such as underwater hazards, wind, waves, and water temperature," the National Parks Service said in a press release.
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Valenti was taken to the coroner's office and his family and fiancée were notified.