Seattle firefighters were called for help after a man swimming in Lake Union fell underwater and did not resurface.
SEATTLE — A man in distress was pulled from Lake Union Sunday afternoon by a team of rescue swimmers.
The Seattle Fire Department (SFD) said in a social media post the
Three rescue swimmers went into the water, found the 30-year-old man and brought him to shore, the SFD said in its message. The man reportedly jumped from a pedestrian bridge near the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI).
Emergency crews began life-saving measures and took the man to Harborview Medical Center. Firefighters said the man was in critical condition.
Kaila Lafferty, a spokeswoman for the Seattle Fire Department, stressed the importance of wearing a life jacket when swimming.
“You might think, ‘I’m an adult, I don’t need to wear a life jacket. I can swim,'” Lafferty said. “But when you go somewhere like Lake Union, that water is really cold.”
Lafferty said the water in Lake Union reached 64 degrees Sunday afternoon. Even if it doesn’t feel cold, she said, swimming in these temperatures can still be dangerous.
“When you think about weather, 64 (degrees) is not that cold, but when you think about water, 64 (degrees) is very cold,” Lafferty said. “Your body averages 98 degrees. It can affect your body very quickly. It can cause hyperthermia. It happens a lot faster than you think.”
According to the SFD, authorities recommend swimming in the presence of lifeguards and not drinking alcohol before entering the water.