A man died Friday afternoon after kayaking near the Ballard Locks, according to Seattle medics.
Medics responded to a call about a kayaker in distress around 2:30 p.m. Rescue swimmers entered the water shortly before 3 p.m. and pulled the kayaker out of the water.
The medics attempted to save the man, but he died at the scene, according to the Seattle Fire Department.
A second person was pulled out of the water and is in stable condition. He was taken to Harborview Medical Center.
Magnolia resident Larry Phillips, whose condo overlooks the Locks, said the current was strong Friday with this week's weather system bringing mountain snow into Puget Sound. Phillips and his wife, watching from their sunroom, called 911 after seeing the kayakers capsize. The man who died was swept over the dam, Phillips said, while the other kayaker hung onto a chain that anchors the buoys until he was rescued.
Phillips said he saw both of the men had life preservers on, and he saw the survivor trembling at the scene afterward.
These very big climate events are claiming lives, and people need to be more vigilant than ever," Phillips said. "It's a tragic situation.
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