Body of Missing Port Angeles Man Recovered Near Ediz Hook
A multi-agency search for a missing 22-year-old Port Angeles man came to a tragic conclusion on the morning of July 1, 2026, when authorities recovered the body of Gunnar Peterson from the waters near the public boat launch at Ediz Hook.
The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office announced the recovery following an intensive search operation that was initiated after Peterson’s personal belongings were discovered near his last known location.
According to the sheriff’s office, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Dive Team arrived at the Ediz Hook Road boat launch at approximately 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday.
The team, consisting of three divers and one shore support member, located a deceased individual approximately 20 minutes after entering the water.
The United States Coast Guard assisted by securing the surrounding waterway and providing support during the recovery.
Following the operation, detectives from the Port Angeles Police Department, with the assistance of Peterson’s family in identifying his personal belongings, officially confirmed his identity.
The underwater recovery was the culmination of a rigorous ground and water search initiated the previous day. On June 30, a coalition of 22 to 25 search personnel from various regional agencies scoured the Ediz Hook area.
The search perimeter was narrowed to the public boat launch—adjacent to the U.S. Coast Guard Base—after Ginnis, a Border Collie Human Remains Detection Water K9, demonstrated a significant change in behavior in the area. The dog was handled by Snohomish County Search and Rescue volunteer Pam Harding.
Later that evening, two members of Kitsap County Search and Rescue deployed a Remotely Operated Vehicle to search beneath the public dock.
Although the ROV did not locate Peterson, Clallam County Lead Search and Rescue Coordinator Detective Esther McKellar utilized the accumulated data to focus the search area and requested the WDFW dive team for the following morning.
The Sheriff’s Office praised the extensive cross-agency collaboration demonstrated during the search.
Officials highlighted one notable example of dedication: a WDFW dive team member, who also volunteers with Jefferson County Search and Rescue, spent June 30 assisting with the ground search before helping assemble the dive team and returning the next morning to conduct the underwater recovery.
Agencies involved in the effort included Clallam County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, the Port Angeles Police Department, Jefferson County Search and Rescue, Snohomish County Search and Rescue, Kitsap County Search and Rescue, the WDFW Dive Team, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
“The professionalism, dedication, and collaboration demonstrated throughout this operation exemplify the strong partnerships that exist among public safety agencies across our region,” the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office stated. “While this search ended with a heartbreaking outcome, every available resource was utilized in the effort to bring Gunnar home to his family.”
The Sheriff’s Office extended its deepest condolences to Peterson’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.