UPDATE: Body of Drowned Boater Pulled From American Lake; Identified As Franklin Harvey

UPDATE: 4:05 p.m., 10/10/2012

From Lakewood Police spokesman Chris Lawler:

The body of the missing boater has been recovered from the lake. Divers and Marine Services personnel from Lakewood PD, West Pierce Fire and Rescue and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department recovered the body a short time ago.  The body was taken to the LPD boathouse by our boat to await the arrival of the Medical Examiner. 

The body has positively been identified by the M.E. and detectives as Franklin Harvey.  The body is currently in the custody of the Pierce County Medical Examiner.

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(Editor's note: I just got this from Lakewood Police spokesman Chris Lawler)

I just got a call from the on-scene folks out at American Lake. The body of the missing boater has been located on the bottom of the lake and attempts to recover the body will be underway shortly. Once the body is recovered, it will be turned over to the Pierce County Medical Examiner for an autopsy and positive identification.

LPD Detectives have confirmed with the family of the missing boater that all next of kin have been notified.  The name of the 63-year-old missing boater is Franklin Ray Harvey from Tacoma.

LPD Detectives updated me today on what the surviving boater told them happened on the boat.  The two brothers were out testing a boat that one of the brothers was considering purchasing.  They decided to take it to American Lake to run it before agreeing to buy it.  Once the boat was out on the lake, they had a little trouble getting the outdrive to come down, but eventually got it to work.

After taking a turn in the boat, they noticed steam coming from the engine compartment.  The boat has been described as an older Bayliner Inboard/Outboard.  They stopped the boat and removed the engine cover to look for the source of the steam.  They immediately noticed that the boat was rapidly taking on water through a hole by where the outdrive is connected to the stern of the boat.  The boat began to sink and both brothers made the decision to try and swim for shore.  They both grabbed a boat seat for floatation and began to swim.  The surviving brother realized he would not be able to make it and returned to the boat.  He looked for his brother and realized he had gone under the water.  The surviving brother was rescued by another boater on the lake who saw he was in distress.

The investigation is still ongoing and this is the latest information that we have at this time.  LPD is being assisted by the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department and West Pierce Fire and Rescue.