Man, 19, drowns at Eagle Falls near Index

Published 11:22 am Monday, June 16, 2025

EVERETT — A 19-year-old man drowned while swimming at Eagle Falls on Thursday afternoon, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday.

Around 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Sky Valley Fire and sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a drowning near the waterfall located east of Index in rural Snohomish County. The man was swimming in the water with friends when he started to cramp and went under water, the sheriff’s office wrote in a release Monday.

Sky Valley Fire located the man and attempted to revive him for approximately 20 minutes, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene, the sheriff’s office wrote.

Eagle Falls has seen a high number of deaths in recent years, Sky Valley Fire officials have previously said. A total of 11 people died at Eagle Falls between 2020 and July 2024.

Swimming in natural waterways can be dangerous, the sheriff’s office wrote in the release, because of strong currents, cold temperatures or underwater hazards. To stay safe, always wear a life jacket, keep your children close, bring a whistle, don’t dive into the water and watch for slippery surfaces like logs and rocks near the shore, the sheriff’s office wrote.

Will Geschke: 425-339-3443; william.geschke@heraldnet.com; X: @willgeschke.