23-year-old cliff jumper dies after landing on his head after 50-foot plunge in Washington river

Body of William Lewis Hogg recovered following dive team search and rescue

(Getty Images)

The search for a 23-year-old cliff jumper in Washington state has ended after an emergency dive rescue team recovered the body of William Lewis Hogg, the day after he jumped from 50 feet above the Toutle River near Castle Rock.

According to the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office, Hogg vanished after he struck the surface of the water with his head and chest after doing a front flip on 24 August.

His friends and family at the scene called 911 after Hogg did not resurface.

A dive team, sheriff’s deputies, fire and police department personnel and a drone performed a search of the scene for several hours beginning Wednesday afternoon.

Rescue crews suspended the search at roughly 10pm and resumed the following morning.

At 2pm on Thursday, “divers were able to locate and recover the body of the missing subject,” according to police.

“Hogg’s family and friends were on scene during the search and assisted in his recovery,” according to Cowlitz County’s Chief Criminal Deputy Troy Brightbill. “The coroner’s office has taken custody of the body for further examination to determine the cause of death.”

Castle Rock is roughly 60 miles south of the state’s capital Olympia.