Swinomish Channel search for missing woman unsuccessful thus far

Extreme tide changes on Swinomish Channel have made difficult the efforts by multiple agencies to find a 27-year-old Kirkland woman whose last known whereabouts was the La Conner waterfront early on New Year’s Day.

“At this time,” Sgt. Brad Holmes, who administers the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office La Conner Detachment, said on Sunday, “the missing female has not been located and most search efforts have been maxed out.”

Intense searches involving divers from throughout the Puget Sound region have been conducted during low tide periods on Swinomish Channel since Jan. 1, when one of the woman’s shoes was found in the water near the south end of the downtown business district.

The woman’s family had contacted law enforcement hours earlier concerned about her well-being. She is said to have sent despondent texts to them and a phone app placed her last known location in La Conner.

“We do believe she was in the water near the south end of town,” said Holmes, “but search efforts have not been successful.”

Gary Ladd of Skagit Bay Search & Rescue, who is also a captain with Skagit County Fire District 13, said SBS&R had logged about 12 search hours on the channel as of Jan. 11.

Residents on North First Street reported ambulances and emergency vehicles converging in that area with lights on but sirens off well after dark on Jan. 5, four days into the search.

“There have been extreme tide changes since she was last seen with as much as 13-foot swings twice a day,” Holmes said. “This causes swift currents and can move a body rapidly and create a huge search area.”

Holmes said those involved in the search have provided high-tech equipment to the mission but thus far have been unable to locate the subject.