WILLARD BAY — The body of missing fisherman Matthew Rasmussen was found Wednesday evening after a three-day search.
Dive teams from Box Elder and Weber counties found Rasmussen a half-mile southwest of Willard Bay State Park's North Marina in about 13 feet of water about 5 p.m. The teams were using sonar locating technology, according to a news release from Utah State Parks.
Rasmussen, 45, of Morgan County, worked with the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District for 10 years. He launched his boat from the marina about 8 a.m. Sunday, according to the Division of State Parks and Recreation. Around 8:30 p.m., Rasmussen's family reported him overdue. His boat was found Sunday night with the trolling motor running, but there was no sign of him.
Family members, co-workers and friends of Rasmussen assisted in the search efforts Wednesday. As many as 40 of his co-workers from the water conservancy district searched from the shores and on boats.
One co-worker who stayed throughout each day, sunrise to sunset, was Jeff Morgan.
Rasmussen was not just a good employee, but a good friend, according to Morgan.
“(I’ve) worked with him pretty much on a daily basis ever since he came to work for us,” Morgan said. "My relationship with Matt is much more than a co-worker. He's a dear friend. His wife, Stacy, is a very dear friend as well, so I've been here more so for her and for her family than for the district."
Morgan said he and the other volunteers were determined not to come up empty in their search.
"We just want to find him,” he said before Rasmussen was found Wednesday. “We want to find our friend, and it's just hard for us to not be able to do more than what we're doing."
Four boats and about a couple dozen search and rescue specialists conducted grid searches Wednesday in boats equipped with sonar equipment. It was the sonar locating technology that first led the dive teams to Rasmussen's body.
"The family of Matthew expresses heartfelt thanks to all who participated in the search efforts and requests the respect of their privacy during this trying time," Erick Stucki, spokesman for Utah State Parks, said in a statement Wednesday evening.
Contributing: Ben Lockhart
Email: manderson@deseretnews.com