INDEX — Search and rescue teams recovered the bodies of two men Sunday who drowned at Eagle Falls.
Around 4:15 p.m. Saturday, rescue teams responded to reports of two men who fell into Eagle Falls near Index and did not resurface, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.
Crews searched for the men throughout the evening Saturday, but were unable to find them, police said. The two men went to the falls as part of a four-person group. On Sunday morning, the sheriff’s office continued the search for the men. It had turned from a rescue operation to recovery.
“We would ask the public to stay away from the falls and the surrounding area,” Lt. Glenn DeWitt said.
Currents at Eagles Falls are swift and the temperatures of the water are still very cold, the sheriff’s office said. Eagle Falls has been the site of several deaths in the past decade.
The warm weather Saturday was expected to send more people outside.
Safety tips before entering the water:
• 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 people nearby.
• 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.
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