MAPLE VALLEY, Wash. — A teenage boy has died at Harborview Medical Center Wednesday after dive teams rescued him from the bottom of Lake Wilderness.
Kent Fire Department Captain Kyle Ohashi said the teen was under water for about 40 minutes.
Emergency crews responded just after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in Maple Valley.
The teen had been swimming with friends at Lake Forest Estates Park, a private beach on the east side of the lake.
Ohashi said an off-duty Kent police officer was there with his family when he realized someone was in trouble underwater.
“He had heard that several teenagers were yelling that one of their friends was missing in the water,” Ohashi said. “He dove into the water after calling 911 tried to locate the teenager.”
The officer could not find him but kept searching until firefighters arrived and took over.
“He was in 30 feet of water,” Ohashi said. “The water is very murky.”
Firefighters and medics started CPR on the dock.
“The boys that he was with were obviously extremely distressed over what happened,” Ohashi said. “One was very upset because he had tried to get into the water to find his friend.”
Ohashi said it is unclear why exactly the boy went under in the first place.