Body of Missing Boater Recovered from Placid Lake

GREAT FALLS — The body of a 69-year-old Great Falls man who went missing in a western Montana lake nearly a month ago has been recovered.

Seeley-Swan Search and Rescue resumed its search for the body of DelRay Saeman in Placid Lake on Thursday morning with assistance from Ralston and Associates Underwater Search and Recovery from Kuna, Idaho.

Using sonar, Ralston’s search boat located Saeman’s body 30 feet below the surface at about 4 p.m.

Saeman was last seen on Aug. 23 and reported missing the next morning.

His body was found about a half mile from the campground where he and his wife had been staying near the lake, which is southwest of Seeley Lake.

Saeman’s body was taken to the state crime lab in Missoula for autopsy. No foul play is suspected.

Don’t worry, we’ll always be free.

But continued community support is what makes our reporting possible. Please consider a one-time or recurring gift to help sustain independent journalism in northwest Montana. Every donation is injected straight into the newsroom.

Thanks so much for backing us over all these years.

I’ll Support Your Work