Under Investigation: Body Found in Flathead Lake Near Bigfork

Not far from shore where the Swan River empties into Flathead Lake, a tragic scene unfolded, leaving authorities searching for answers.

BODY FOUND

Angela Montana, digital editor and outdoor writer for the Montana Outdoor Radio Show, shared her interpretation of what transpired:

The waters of Flathead Lake are usually where we go to find a piece of ourselves—to catch a rising trout, to watch the sun dip behind the Mission Mountains, or just to breathe in the crisp Montana air. But Wednesday morning, the lake offered up a sobering reminder of how quickly time on the water can turn to crisis.

Around 11:30 AM on Wednesday, May 27, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office received a call that ties a heavy knot in any dispatcher’s stomach: a body was floating in the water near Bigfork. A local wake-surfing instructor and family reportedly made the initial discovery. The individual was found floating roughly half a mile from the Wayfarer's Unit of Flathead Lake State Park.

Sheriff Brian Heino and local search and rescue crews responded quickly, confirming what everyone hoped wasn’t true. According to montanarightnow.com and the Daily Inter Lake, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The sheriff said that during initial investigation, there were not any specifics on cause or manner at this point.

WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR

The body has been sent to the Montana State Crime Lab.

Both the cause and manner of death are completely pending the results of an autopsy.

Officials have not yet released a name, allowing time to reach family first.