The King County Sheriff Dive Unit found the body of a 17-year-old Pacific boy late Wednesday morning, some 14 hours after he disappeared into the Green River in Auburn.

“We found him yesterday morning around 11:30 or so, in the spot where he was last seen,” Cindi West, a spokeswoman for the King County Sheriff’s Office, said Thursday of Jeremiah Smith.

West said Smith and several friends had already crossed the river near 1989 Fourth St. SE on Tuesday evening and were on their way back when he started to struggle and went under.

“We were out there about 7:30 p.m., and we had divers in the water looking, and the Valley Regional Fire Authority and the Renton Fire Department had divers in the water looking, but we couldn’t find him,” West said. “A helicopter did a pass over to see if he was on the shore.”

Crews began a surface search at about 8 a.m. Wednesday. Divers found Smith some 3½ hours later.

It is an all-too-familiar scenario to rescue folk at this time of year.

“He was a pretty muscular kid, without much body fat. The water was 55 degrees, and he probably suffered cold water shock, which inhibits one’s extremities from being able to swim,” West said.

“We want to remind people that when the weather is hot, the water is cold and the current is strong, so wear a lifejacket,” West added.

Smith was enrolled in an online program at West Auburn High School. He had formerly attended Auburn Riverside High School.