Sheriff: Body recovered in Skykomish River believed to be man who fell into Sunset Falls

Crews call off search for man missing in Skykomish River

Snohomish County rescuers called off the search for a missing man Saturday afternoon, after their efforts to find him in the Skokomish River proved unsuccessful.

INDEX, Wash. - UPDATE: Search-and-rescue crews said they recovered a body Wednesday believed to be a missing 40-year-old Tacoma man who fell into the falls on June 23.

The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office said the body was turned over to the medical examiner who will confirm the victim's identity, cause and manner of death.

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Snohomish County rescuers Saturday afternoon called off the search for a man who went missing in the Skykomish River.

The sheriff’s office said the man fell into Sunset Falls, about 30 minutes east of Monroe.

According to the Sky Valley Fire Department, the man is in his 40s, and his wife reported he fell into the water around 9 p.m. Friday.

Searchers used drones and manpower, but were unable to find him after hours of searching. Saturday’s search was called off around 3 p.m.

The sheriff’s office hasn’t said if they’ll return to search again Sunday.

The river is fast-moving, and rescuers caution this is the time of year when water safety is especially crucial—melting snowpacks in the Cascades continue to feed rivers like the Skykomish, and its strong currents and narrow bends can pull away even the strongest swimmers.

Those out near the river today noticed. 

"I didn’t get anywhere near that, you know, that water is rushing fast and can, like, take you out," said Jackson Balmer, who was hiking nearby, "these currents are strong and fast."

The latest readings from the U.S. Geological Survey on the Skykomish show water temperatures haven’t reached higher than 60 degrees this weekend. It might not sound very cold, but rescuers say it can still be deadly. They say cold water drains body heat up to four times faster than cold air does.

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If you are going to be out on the water, experts and officials urge you use good judgment and wear a life jacket.