SEABECK — A 77-year-old Tacoma man has been identified by officials as the man who drowned in Hood Canal on Thursday.
The victim was identified as Douglas William Gant by the Kitsap Sheriff’s Office in a press release Friday.
Gant reportedly had gone crabbing in his rowboat at about 9 a.m., Brinnon Fire Chief Tim Manly said.
Gant had taken his keys and phone out of his pocket before he entered the water on the Kitsap County side of the canal, Manly said.
A call reporting the incident was made at 10:39 a.m., Jefferson County Sheriff Joe Nole said.
The report was “a yellow and silver rowboat dragging anchor unoccupied, due east of McDonald Cove,” Nole said.
A neighbor reported the victim was working with a large and a small boat, Nole said. The Friday press release stated that, according to family, Gant would use the rowboat to row out to his Campion sport utility boat moored to a buoy off shore.
Gant was found at 2:22 p.m. and recovered five minutes later. He was pronounced dead at the scene and transferred to the Kitsap County Coroner’s Office.
The Kitsap County forensic pathologist is expected to conduct an autopsy Monday. The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office does not suspect the any criminal actions are involved in Gant’s death.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Brinnon Fire District shared the 24-foot vessel Integrity to search for the man, and they were joined by the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Department, Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue, Mason County Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Coast Guard.
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Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com.
