VANCOUVER -- The body of a drowning victim was recovered from Klineline Pond Thursday afternoon, authorities said.
Police said family members called 911 around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday after Pioneer Kelulau, 42, jumped into the water to retrieve a child's hat that was blowing away.
Witnesses said Kelulau, who has three children, grabbed the hat and was swimming back to a fishing dock when he suddenly called for help and went under. He was not wearing a life jacket.
Another family member dove in to try and save him but was not able to find him, said Sgt. Fred Neiman of the Clark County Sheriff's Office. The would-be rescuer did make it safely back to shore.
Clark County dive teams searched with lights in the murky water Wednesday night. Efforts were called off when it finally became too dark.
Kelulau's body was found just after 2:30 p.m. Thursday in water about 30 feet deep near the location he
His remains were taken to the Clark County medical examiner's office.
Two other men drowned this week in Southwest Washington. Neither was wearing a life jacket.
