The dangerous waters at Eagle Falls likely claimed the lives of two men who fell into the water and did not resurface on Saturday, said Snohomish County sheriff's Lt. Glenn DeWitt.
In a news release, DeWitt said rescue teams responded around 4:15 p.m. to the falls on the Skykomish River, east of Index on Highway 2. They searched for hours until nightfall, but couldn't find the two men, who were part of a four-person group visiting the falls.
DeWitt said the missing men have been identified but their names will not be released until families have been notified.
"Eagle Falls is very dangerous, very slippery," he said in a phone interview. "The current is very swift. The water temperature is still very cold and we're talking hypothermia."
"At this point we're looking at it as a recovery," he added. "We don't have any other signs the two made it out of the water."
Over the years, the popular swimming spot has been the site of similar tragedies, in which people have either slipped off the top of the falls or were swept away by the river's speedy, relentless current.
The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Unit, the Swiftwater Rescue Team and drone operators were involved in the search. They will continue Sunday morning, DeWitt said.
The Sheriff's Office shared advice for those exploring the county's waterways:
* Always wear a life jacket. Never go near moving water without one.
* Beach logs, riverbanks and rocks near the shore are usually slippery. A fall can knock you unconscious.
* Consider bringing a whistle. 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.
