Drowned man’s body found
By Katie Roenigk
Staff Writer

The search for a body at Boysen Reservoir was short-lived this week, as area emergency responders were successful Monday evening in locating the deceased James Rasmussen, 33, of Longview, Wash.
He reportedly had jumped into Boysen Reservoir’s Fremont Bay at about 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 29. Members of his party notified authorities when he failed to emerge from the water after 10 minutes.
His body, which was found at about 11:30 p.m. Monday, most likely will undergo an autopsy Wednesday. Coroner Ed McAuslan said no official cause of death had been identified as of Tuesday.

Cliff jumping
Rasmussen reportedly was an employee of the construction crew doing work on Togwotee Pass, and McAuslan said he had traveled with friends to visit Fremont Bay during the weekend.
“Several of them came down from Dubois, and they went to the lake and were doing cliff jumping,” McAuslan said Monday. “Most of them were Fremont County people ... just friends.”
Though cliff jumping is not safe, McAuslan said the activity is a common one at Fremont Bay.
“Rasmussen went in with a tube, and when he hit the water the tube got away from him,” McAuslan said. “He was trying to swim to the tube, and that’s when he got into trouble.”
The man reportedly called for help before his head disappeared under water. His friends said they called the police 10 minutes later, and a certified lifeguard who was part of the group also entered the water looking for Rasmussen.

Conditions on the water
McAuslan said wind and weather conditions may have made it difficult for Rasmussen to swim. At about 2:40 p.m. Sunday the National Weather Service reported the temperature near Boysen Reservoir was 79 degrees with winds coming from the south at 7 mph.
In addition, the reporting party who called the police advised that Rasmussen had been drinking alcohol.
Officials were dispatched to the area, and divers from Fremont County Search and Rescue began scanning the water until dark Sunday.

Monday
The search began again at 7 a.m. Monday, with crews from the county coroner’s office, sheriff’s office, ambulance service, search and rescue and fire protection district working together along with the state park service.
Pink flags were placed along the shore where witnesses said Rasmussen was last seen, and officials walked along the edge of the water in groups discussing the logistics of the operation.
Below them, divers emerged periodically from the bay, climbing onto one of the three boats that circled the 25- 30-foot area where Rasmussen was believed to be.
The waters of Fremont Bay were choppy and murky Monday, and officials said that made the job difficult for the divers.
“The search depends on the weather,” Sheriff’s Sgt. Ryan Lee said at the scene Monday. “Visibility is about one foot for the divers. It’s dirty water, so they see what they can and feel around.
“We have a general, confined area. It just takes time to grid through it.”
Sonar devices were being utilized as well.
“This device located the body in approximately 15 feet of water,” McAuslan said. “There was a tether line running from the device back up to the boat, so they left the device down there and called in some divers.”
Though it was after dark when the divers arrived on scene, McAuslan said they followed the tether line to Rasmussen’s body.
“There was very poor visibility, but they were able to follow (the line) down and find the body,” McAuslan said. “They brought the body to the surface at about 11:30 p.m. Monday.”
Currents at that depth were negligible, which explains why Rasmussen’s body had not moved far from the area where he initially had gone under water.
“This body was pretty much in the area where he was last seen by his companions,” McAuslan said. “There were currents up toward the surface but nothing toward the bottom.”
He commended the work of those who helped in the search effort, adding that an investigation into the incident will continue through his agency.
“It was just a fantastic operation,” McAuslan said. “It was done quickly, professionally and successfully.”
He specifically thanked those who came from Sweetwater County to help.
“They’ll jump in a vehicle and here they are,” he said. “And of course our staff will do the same for other people.”
Having spoken with Rasmussen’s family in Washington and friends in Fremont County, McAuslan said they also extended their appreciation and thanks to everyone who helped.