Man’s Body Recovered From Grant County Lake After Weekend Mishap

The identity of a man who failed to resurface after going underwater on Alkali Lake in Grant County is now known.

County Coroner Craig Morrison has confirmed the man is 67-year-old Mauricio Cardenas of Soap Lake. He swam to an island 100 feet away from the mainland, but slipped underwater when he tried to swim back.

Deputies used a drone to locate Cardenas' body near where he was last seen Saturday after previous efforts to recover his body failed because of low visibility and heavy vegetation in the water.

A special low water boat from the Kittitas County Sheriff's office assisted with the recovery because of extremely low water levels and the absence of a proper boat launch.

Various resources were used in two days of weekend attempts to find the body, including the Columbia Basin Dive Rescue Crew from the Tri-Cities, Grant County Fire District #7 and American Medical Response Grant County.

Cardenas was finally located Monday, His remains will undergo an autopsy, which deputies say is standard procedure for a sudden and unexpected out-of-hospital death.