Herald staff
SULTAN — Firefighters rescued a fisherman Tuesday who became stranded in the Sultan River after a release of water from the Spada Reservoir suddenly raised the river level and increased its flow.
Another fisherman drove to the Sultan fire station about 9:50 a.m. to report that someone was stranded in the middle of the river, firefighter Ron Bertholf said. Sultan firefighters asked Monroe firefighters to send their boat, he said.
The unidentified fisherman was at the confluence of the Sultan and Skykomish rivers. The area is posted with warnings of possible sudden water releases, Bertholf said.
The fisherman was at a high spot and was knee deep in the river, but when the volume and swiftness increased suddenly, he was afraid to try crossing by himself, Bertholf said.
Rescuers threw a rope to him and he donned a personal flotation device. They stationed other personnel with safety and throw bags downstream in case he had a problem. Using the rope, he was able to make it to shore, Bertholf said.
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