Seattle police resume search for missing swimmer

Seattle police Harbor Patrol has resumed its search for a missing swimmer who disappeared Thursday night near Golden Gardens Park.

Searchers equipped with sonar devices plan to be out "pretty much all day" on the water looking for the 21-year-old man, said Reneé Witt, Seattle Police Department spokeswoman. She said it would be a recovery effort for his body.

Fire boats, police, the Coast Guard and the King County helicopter spent hours searching for the man Thursday night. The man and a companion had been trying to swim to a buoy about 200 yards from shore.

Shortly before 8:45 p.m., a person on the beach north of Golden Gardens Park heard swimmers near the buoy yelling for help, said Jeff Kappel, Seattle Police Department spokesman.

Units were dispatched, and Harbor Patrol found one of the swimmers 21 minutes later, Kappel said.

The 29-year-old man had been spotted by a paddleboarder who allowed the man to hang onto his board until he could be rescued by the Harbor Patrol, said Dana Vander Houwen, Seattle Fire Department spokeswoman. That man was subsequently taken to Harborview Medical Center suffering from hypothermia.

By 12:30 a.m., all units had called off the search. Coast Guard authorities said they had no plans to go out again today.

Sonia Krishnan: 206-515-5546 or skrishnan@seattletimes.com. Staff reporter Jim Brunner contributed to this story.