NEAH BAY — A woman’s body believed to be one of three missing boaters was discovered Thursday afternoon on the rocky shoreline near Neah Bay, prompting an intensifying search for the two remaining individuals.
The discovery came hours after the United States Coast Guard (USCG) alerted Clallam County authorities about an overdue vessel. At approximately 12:35 a.m., the USCG requested assistance from Clallam County Sheriff’s Deputies to search the coastline between Neah Bay and Sekiu. The request, relayed through Neah Bay Public Safety, concerned a white Sportsman Hewescraft boat carrying two men and one woman that had launched from Makah Marina around 7:00 p.m. Wednesday and failed to return.
Despite initial search efforts, including a check of the Sekiu harbor, the vessel could not be located.
At around 2:07 p.m., deputies responded to a report of a deceased female washed ashore in the Neah Bay area. Shortly afterward, the Coast Guard located a capsized boat nearby, believed to be the one reported missing.
The three individuals — two males and one female, all from King County and ranging in age from 62 to 68 — were last seen departing from the Makah Marina. Authorities have not yet confirmed the identity of the deceased woman, but believe she is one of the missing boaters.
The Clallam County Coroner’s Office has taken jurisdiction over the body. The search continues by air and sea as the Coast Guard works urgently to locate the remaining two individuals before nightfall.
The investigation remains ongoing, and officials have not released any names.