Boater drowns in North Idaho lake after friends try to toss him life jackets, cops say

A man in his 40s was boating on a popular North Idaho lake Sunday when he fell off and later drowned, officials said.

The wind and water conditions on Lake Coeur d’Alene made it too difficult for the man to get back onto the boat, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.

He struggled in the lake with no life jacket on, officials said, as his fellow boaters tried to save him.

People on the boat threw multiple life jackets to the man as he tried to stay above the water, the sheriff’s office said. He couldn’t reach any of them and vanished under the water.

Members of the Kootenai County Dive Rescue Team, Sonar Team and Marine Patrols scoured the lake for the man until dark. In the morning, they continued their search.

Officials sent a search dog and civilian helicopter Monday to try to find the man. After hours of searching, the man’s body was found about 200 yards from shore, 11 feet underwater, the sheriff’s office said.

The sheriff’s office is still investigating the incident. Officials didn’t identify the man because his family had not yet been notified. He was not from the area.

The initial investigation showed the man had been drinking on the boat and may have been intoxicated when he fell in, officials said.

Lake Coeur d’Alene is the second largest lake in northern Idaho at 26 miles long. It’s a popular boating destination with nine marinas and 135 miles of shoreline.

The lake is about 7 hours north of Boise.

This story was originally published August 24, 2021 at 7:52 AM with the headline "Boater drowns in North Idaho lake after friends try to toss him life jackets, cops say."