LA CENTER, Wash. -- A man drowned Thursday night at a popular swimming spot despite the rescue efforts of witnesses.

The medical examiner identified the man Friday afternoon as Clifford Chappell II, 28. They haven't yet determined his cause of death.

Rescue crews received a call at about 8:15 p.m. that a man who was swimming went under the water and never resurfaced at Paradise Point Park in La Center.

Rescue workers from the Clark County Sheriff's Office, Fire and Rescue and dive teams spent hours looking for the man on the east fork of the Lewis River.

Chappell's body was recovered at about 10:30 p.m. Witnesses said the whole thing happened fast and there was nothing they could do.

"I kind of felt like something was wrong so I went down there and the girl was crying and the girlfriend was like, 'he was right there.' And then it clicked in my brain, like, there's somebody in the water," witness Kaylee Dees said.

Another witness said the incident made him feel helpless as he tried to help but was unable to save the man.

"It's a life changer. Just to think that somebody -- that death actually happens -- to realize that someone's drowning next to you, but you can't help it, do anything about it. We tried to dive in and help him, but we couldn't do anything about it," witness Chase Wagner said.

Rescue Crews Recover Body Of Drowned Man