Story Published: Jul 16, 2008 at 6:13 PM PST
Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 10:15 PM PST
Christina Barger said her cousin, 23-year-old Jordan Bloom of Bremerton, is the drowning victim. She said he was a WSU student. His parents, who are also from the west side of Washington, asked Christina to release the information because they were concerned about the status of the search.
Jordan was swimming with friends Monday afternoon near the Dunes, a popular spot on the Garfield County side of the river below Lower Granite Dam, when some of them tried to swim out to a channel marker off shore.
Barger said Jordan was unable to make it and panicked, according to a friend who was there. The friend said he tried to save Jordan but was pulled underwater and was barely able to save himself. Barger said Jordan's girlfriend, who was also there, called the parents.
A search began and the Nez Perce County Dive Team was called in Tuesday to assist.
On Wednesday night, Garfield County Sheriff Larry Bowles said the dive team had actually searched all day Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Bowles said the search has not been suspended, but that the dive team felt it had done all it could do, searching in three foot patterns, below a dam releasing water that is creating heavy currents downriver. Bowles said the currents that are being experience mean that a body would probably be carried downstream.
Bowles said personnel from the Garfield County and Whitman County Sheriff's Offices and the Army Corps of Engineers will resume the search Thursday using an airplane and boats.
