Warm weather can lead to tragedy on the water
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It was a dangerous weekend on the waters around Western Washington, with a fatal rafting accident on the Green River and a near-drowning on the North Fork of the Skykomish River on Saturday.
Then, on Sunday, a toddler was pulled from the water at a park near Lacey. The little one survived, but was taken to the hospital as a precaution.
With all the sunshine and temperatures hovering around 80 degrees, people were drawn to the water for fun and recreation.
But the fun - whether you're paddling, swimming or boating - can quickly turn into trouble if you're not careful.
KOMO News spent the day with Mercer Island Police Department's Marine Patrol, who want boaters to start off the season safely.
As they cruised Lake Washington, Marine Patrol Sgt. Jim Robarge and Officer Greg Levinson spotted a passenger doing something dangerous - sitting on the back of a boat.
"The reason is, you can't have people sitting on the back like that," Levinson explains. "That's not a seating position. He can get pitched in the water."
The boaters also got an $87 ticket for not having a throwable floating device.
"It's like getting pulled over in a car - it's not fun," says boater Mitch Hetterle.
Robarge and Levinson said they had two boaters injured Saturday in an accident on Lake Washington.
But you don't have to be in a boat to get in over your head. Even a dip along the shore on warm days can shock a swimmer, and lead to panic.
"This morning the water temperature was 58 degrees - so as tempting as it is to jump in, it's not a pleasant thing," says Berry Zimmerman.
Every year, there are news reports of preventable drownings - where victims either didn't wear a life jacket or simply made a bad decision or just was not paying attention.
Pam Levinson watches her grandchildren like a hawk - and shakes her head at people who don't.
"It's sad, but I mean, some of the kids are swimming without their parents like the older kids - and even they can drown," she says.
Then, on Sunday, a toddler was pulled from the water at a park near Lacey. The little one survived, but was taken to the hospital as a precaution.
With all the sunshine and temperatures hovering around 80 degrees, people were drawn to the water for fun and recreation.
But the fun - whether you're paddling, swimming or boating - can quickly turn into trouble if you're not careful.
KOMO News spent the day with Mercer Island Police Department's Marine Patrol, who want boaters to start off the season safely.
As they cruised Lake Washington, Marine Patrol Sgt. Jim Robarge and Officer Greg Levinson spotted a passenger doing something dangerous - sitting on the back of a boat.
"The reason is, you can't have people sitting on the back like that," Levinson explains. "That's not a seating position. He can get pitched in the water."
The boaters also got an $87 ticket for not having a throwable floating device.
"It's like getting pulled over in a car - it's not fun," says boater Mitch Hetterle.
Robarge and Levinson said they had two boaters injured Saturday in an accident on Lake Washington.
But you don't have to be in a boat to get in over your head. Even a dip along the shore on warm days can shock a swimmer, and lead to panic.
"This morning the water temperature was 58 degrees - so as tempting as it is to jump in, it's not a pleasant thing," says Berry Zimmerman.
Every year, there are news reports of preventable drownings - where victims either didn't wear a life jacket or simply made a bad decision or just was not paying attention.
Pam Levinson watches her grandchildren like a hawk - and shakes her head at people who don't.
"It's sad, but I mean, some of the kids are swimming without their parents like the older kids - and even they can drown," she says.
