Body found on Washington beach identified as Kuljit Bhoparai of Richmond

THE body of a man found July 22 on Washington’s Neptune Beach west of Ferndale by a beachcomber has been identified Kuljit Singh Bhoparai , 47, of Richmond, who fell into the Fraser River nearly three months ago, reports the Bellingham Herald.

The paper said that Whatcom County Medical Examiner Dr. Gary Goldfogel informed them that the cause of death was freshwater drowning, and it was accidental.

According to the paper, the body was found in a badly decomposed state and was clothed only in a pair of undershorts. No identification or other items were found at the scene where the body washed ashore.

Delta Police on Thursday said in a press release that on April 25, police responded to reports of a man falling off a boathouse in the 3400-block of River Road in Delta. The man’s friends, who witnessed the incident, were unable to rescue him and he slipped under the water.  After an extensive search of the area, including resources from the Coast Guard, RCMP Air One and Delta Police, the man was not located and presumed drown.

Delta Police said that a positive identification was established using dental records, and on July 31, they received confirmation that the body is that of the missing person from the April boathouse incident in Delta.