Missing boaters found in Lake Cd'A
<p>JAKE PARRISH/Press The Kootenai County Sheriff Search and Rescue dive team searches for the bodies of one woman and two men on Wednesday on Lake Coeur d'Alene near Three Mile Point.</p>
The bodies of three boaters missing since Saturday night were recovered Wednesday from Lake Coeur d’Alene.
A source close to the recovery operation said divers pulled the deceased from the waters near Threemile Point, between Stevens Point and Swede Bay, after their bodies were located by the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office’s Sonar Team.
The sheriff's office confirmed all three bodies were recovered by 8 p.m.
Justin Luhr, 34, of Medical Lake, Wash., and his two passengers, Justin Honken, 21, of Post Falls and Caitlin Breeze, 21, of Spokane, went missing, according to sheriff’s office reports, after another boat collided with the boat they were in, a 1989 Formula 223LS.
The crash occurred around 9:15 p.m. when five adults on a 2011 Mastercraft X25 open bow boat were traveling south and collided with the Formula that was either stationary or northbound, per the sheriff’s office. The five adults from the Mastercraft were transported to Kootenai Health for non-life-threatening injuries.
The investigation is still in its preliminary stages, but sheriff’s deputies say it does not appear drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash.
Honken’s sister, Heather Honken, took to Facebook Wednesday afternoon to inform friends and family the bodies were found via sonar.
“They were all within 15 feet of each other. Everyone’s prayer’s worked!” Honken posted. “And we would like to send a special thanks out to some of the most amazing people in the world for letting us come sit on their docks and taking the family on their boat to spread flowers. We will forever be indebted to you!”
Justin Honken grew up in Wyoming and recently attended Northwest College in Powell, Wyo., where he was a member of the rodeo team and an honor roll student. His family relocated to Post Falls in 2014.
Luhr and Breeze lived in Washington.
A spokesperson for Breeze’s family released a statement to media confirming her passing.
“We are heartbroken to share the news and our family is deeply saddened the loss of our beloved Caitlin Breeze. Both family and friends as well as other countless people in our community have been greatly impacted by this tragic loss, as Caitlin was a wonderful young lady with a bright future who will be missed by all the people that knew her.”