2 men drown after falling at Eagle Falls, bodies recovered
INDEX, Wash. - The bodies of two men who did not resurface after falling at Eagle Falls Saturday afternoon were recovered from the waters on Sunday.
The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office says they received a call around 4:15 p.m. on Saturday for reports of two men who fell into the falls and did not resurface.
Rescue teams searched the area for several hours, but were unable to locate the men. On Sunday around noon, rescuers recovered two bodies.
The two subjects will be transferred to the Medical Examiner's Office, where they will later be identified.
The Sheriff's Office said the two men were originally identified by the 911 caller, who was part of a four-person group who was at the falls with the two missing men.
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Because currents in Snohomish County rivers are swift, and water temperatures are still very cold, the Sheriff's Office is asking the public to stay out of the water and clear away from the falls.
The Sheriff's Office provided the following tips before exploring the country's waterways:
- 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 young children.
- Don't dive in. Two-thirds of catastrophic neck injuries occur in open water and the sea.
Eagle Falls is a popular dive spot and waterfall right off U.S. Route 2 between Index and Halford.