Tag Archives: drowning

Breaking News, Local

King County Sheriff reports body found in Lake Washington drowning

[KIRKLAND] – (MTN) The King County Sheriff’s Office has reported that in cooperation with the United States Coast Guard, the body of a 32-year old man who disappeared after falling off an innertube near O.O. Denny Park in Kirkland was found this afternoon. The Sheriff Department tweeted the body has been found about a 1/4 mile offshore, and at a depth of 145 feet.

On Sunday, reports came in around 6:00 PM for three people who fell off an inner tube being towed behind a boat in Lake Washington. Two people were rescued, but a third still unidentified person could not be located.

Officials started a search that was suspended on Sunday night and restarted Monday at dawn. Officials declared on Sunday night that the search was becoming a recovery, but still held out some hope that the victim might be found alive. News helicopters circled over Juanita Bay in Kirkland yesterday as the grim search continued.

There were 5 drownings in area lakes in the last week and multiple rescue operations. Although temperatures may soar to 100 degrees this weekend and an Excessive Heat Watch was issued by the National Weather Service, area lakes, rivers, and Puget Sound remain dangerously cold.

Safety, Weather

Area lakes and rivers are still dangerously cold

This happens every year in Puget Sound and it is unnecessary. We get a warm spell in May or June and people head to the lakes and rivers to cool off. What better way than a swim, a float trip, a canoe, or a kayak?

Don’t be fooled, our area lakes and rivers can kill you this time of year.
Lakes are still cold, hypothermia can set in quickly leading to a loss of coordination and drowning. Unless you’ve ever experienced a kayak/canoe overturning suddenly, you have no idea how disorienting the experience really is. 

For our rivers, flow and levels are high with continued snow melt and there are a lot of limbs and branches over the waterways after our February snows (called strainers). High flow plus branches in the water are certified drowning machines. If you get up against a strainer, the water pressure keeps you there. The end. Rivers are even colder than lakes also.

If you’re going to head to the water to enjoy the warm please:

1) Don’t swim alone or at night
2) Don’t drink and swim
3) Don’t go over your head, you can cramp up suddenly
4) Canoe, kayak, etc. wear a life jacket
5) Don’t venture out on the rivers unless you have reviewed official reports and/or scouted the runs yourself – wear a lifejacket, don’t go alone, have a recovery plan
6) Smaller children are more susceptible to hypothermia, keep an eye on them and watch for shivering, blue lips, and chattering teeth

Please be safe.