OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — Park rangers have suspended their search for the body of a man whose boat capsized a week ago between Shi Shi Beach and Rialto Beach due to a lack of clues and the length of time since the incident occurred, a park spokeswoman said.
Clifford Dopps, 74, is missing and presumed drowned after his boat overturned Aug. 17.
“No clues were found,” park spokeswoman Barb Maynes said late Tuesday afternoon in an email.
The active portion of the search ended Monday, she said.
“In situations like this, rangers who are routinely assigned to an area will continue to search as a part of their daily duties, but we no longer have extra personnel dedicated to the search.
“The boat hull was located and has been secured until it can be removed from the beach (it is in a very remote area) and debris from the boat has been collected and secured.”
Dopps was in a 22-foot aluminum boat that capsized Aug. 17 near Hand Rock about 1½ miles from shore and 10 miles north of La Push.
Another person on the boat was rescued from the water, and a dog named Rio swam ashore.
Dopps’ hometown and the name of the person with him were not available late Wednesday afternoon.
A helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles reported seeing a body from the air Aug. 18.
Rangers hiked toward the area where the body was said to have washed ashore but could not reach it due to a high tide.
A life jacket washed ashore near where Dopps’ boat was found near the Norwegian Memorial monument in Olympic National Park.
