INDEX – Sheriff’s Office deputies, Sky Valley Fire and Search and Rescue (SAR) responded to a drowning near Eagle Falls around 6:45 p.m. Thursday, June 12. A 19-year-old male was swimming in the water with friends when he started to cramp, went under water, and had not surfaced. His friends attempted to assist but were unable to rescue him.
Sky Valley Fire located the victim and initiated CPR, performing resuscitation efforts for approximately 20 minutes. Unfortunately, those efforts were unsuccessful, and the victim was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Positive identification of the decedent, as well as cause and manner of death, will come from the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Swimming at Eagle Falls and in many natural waterways throughout the county can be extremely dangerous due to strong currents, cold water temperatures, and hidden underwater hazards. Before visiting any local rivers or falls, please review the following safety tips to help protect yourself and others:
- Always wear a life jacket when you are on the water. Never go near moving water without one.
- Beach logs, riverbanks and rocks near the shore are usually slippery. A fall can knock you unconscious and prevent you from being able to save yourself.
- Consider bringing a whistle. If you are in trouble, it could help alert nearby people.
- Keep kids within arm’s reach. Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 14 and under.
- Don’t dive in. Two-thirds of catastrophic neck injuries occur in open water and the sea.
Source: Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
