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5:35 PM: Thanks for the tips. We are en route to Alki and Bonair to check out a rescue response, reportedly involving jet skiers.
5:52 PM UPDATE: Two people on a jet ski went into the water. One was in a state of reduced consciousness when rescued, we were told by emergency personnel at the scene; both are being taken to Harborview.
I thought being in a state of reduced consciousness was a prerequisite for jet skiing.
Glad they were rescued. Very dangerous today with the high temps making the water look very tempting to cool off in, only the water is around 50 degrees and your body can go into shock instantly.
I hope they’re okay, but I wonder if these are the same jet skiers that were driving really fast and too close to the ferry, as well as whizzing past people on paddle boards and kayaks earlier in the afternoon. It looked like it was the Coast Guard that stopped and talked to them two different times as I was walking along Alki. Be safe and kind out there!
Yes, they were the same people. Riding in the public swim area, fuming out the beach goers, riding fast and furious. We commented something was going to end badly, and within a few minutes we watched the accident unfold. Sad but unfortunately predictable.
as someone who has jetskied off Alki, please don’t paint us all with the same brush. Most of us are respectful and know the rules, and stay away from the divers, swimmers, paddle boarders and other boats. We just want to have fun and not inconvenience other people. There is a law that says you can’t be closer than 500′ to a “working vessel” which includes ferry boats – I’m surprised they didn’t receive a big ticket for that! These guys sound like they’d be much happier on Lake Sammamish, which is chock-full of idiots who ride jetskis like maniacs (which is why I will never ride there again). It also sounds like the operator wasn’t even wearing an impact/floatation vest, which is bonkers. Probably drinking, too, which is a HUGE no-no on a jetski. I’m happy no one was killed, but these guys really need to rethink their hobby. If it makes you feel better if these guys were that clueless about their ski and the minimum safety requirements they probably also take terrible care of their jetski which means it will likely be broken down by the time summer hits and you’ll never see them out there again. :)
@westside45 – that’s a pretty insensitive comment about people in distress who had to be taken to the hospital.
Heard on the news that the water skier is in serious condition at Harborview and was underwater for 10 to 20 minutes.
I agree with M: a really insensitive, snarky comment from westside 45.
Let’s see…Two people on a jet ski, the very use of which is inherently fraught with peril, get into trouble and use emergency resources. The story does not say how the incident happened, so I fill-in-the-blanks and insert behavior I’ve witnessed by other jet skiers–moving really fast (jet), harassing ducks and gulls, and making acute angle turns. The insensitivity is by the skiers.
We don’t know how the incident happened and I don’t expect we will. The best we could and can do is go and get a topline from emergency personnel while they are still in the middle of dealing with the victim(s), and that’s what we did; we cover emergencies as they happen when they are particularly noticeable as was this one because of the emergency vehicles on Alki Avenue (and for a time a TV helicopter overhead). It doesn’t mean we’re opening the floodgates to criticism of the type of activity involved or the people who engage in it. What’s most helpful for the community, if available, in terms of community-collaborative discussion in an emergency situation is any information related to the specific incident, or later, how the victim(s) are doing. Meantime, while we cover 99% of rescue calls, I can’t find any jet-ski (or, using the generic term, “personal watercraft”) rescues in our archives any time in recent years, so this seems to be an unusual event. – TR
I will admit I share the concerns about jetskis. As a frequent kayaker/paddler boarder & occasional swimmer on the beach, jetskis are not merely obnoxious—they are potentially dangerous for all parties involved, zipping by at high speeds, making a ton of noise and scaring off wildlife (including me!). Personally, if I was king of the world, jetskis would be illegal contraband—but, alas, this is not the case.
Rants aside, based on the instagram photos I saw of the incident, it appears the man who was hypothermic was wearing jeans, a cotton polo shirt and boots(???). Cotton retains 25 times its weight in water and will kill you faster than any other factor if you fall into our 50ish degrees F waters. I know the weather is hot, but the water is not and you need to dress for the water temperature if you’re out on the water.
It’s a hard lesson learned and I sincerely hope everyone involved in the incident is OK at the end of the day (haven’t heard any follow-up on this story). Might I suggest slower-paced paddle sports with proper immersion wear for next time?
I was riding my bike down Alki when this occurred, several of us heard yells for help and looked out to see a Jet ski that did not appear to have any riders. It looked to be more than a quarter mile from shore. (Far enough away that it would not have been safe for anyone from shore to swim out.) One kayaker started heading there direction and a paddle boarder took off from shore. One of the people in the water, was brought up on the steps and someone started CPR, it appeared that he threw up some water and started to breath on his own (still unresponsive) as several Good Samaritans helped until rescue personnel arrived. Not sure who the Kayaker or the Paddle Boarder were, but if not for their help this would have had an even more tragic ending.
I was there on my bike also. Would like to thank the good Samaritans for helping save one or 2 lives. Thanks!
My husband was the kayaker who reached them first. We would like to know how they are doing if anyone is able to find that information. Thanks.
I watched your husband. Please thank him. Helpless on the beach is a sickening feeling. Had to keep people from swimming to help knowing that they would be an additional victim vs helping. Thankful for your husband. Frustrated that it took me 6 turns through 9-1-1 recording to hold before they answered. And then probably 15 minutes before any professional help onsite. (No disrespect to the pros, maybe they were dealing with another issue. 3 boats on scene too late to help was frustrating though.) HUGE thanks to everyone who paddled over to help. Best wishes to the people involved.
I was there with my 2 young kids earlier and called 911. I told the operator I was reporting a “non – emergency”. When she asked me what I was reporting, I explained that there were approximately 6 jet skiiers that appeared to be driving recklessly ; doing donuts, getting very close to other vessels and the shore, creating major wake – scaring the many kids that were trying to enjoy the beach. So she patched me through to SPD Harbor Patrol. After I reported to him exactly what I did to the dispatcher, he started chuckling and asked if they look like they were having fun in such a nice day. I immediately became offended and told him I was just trying to report what looked like unsafe behavior before someone got hurt. And they got so close to shore – it was for sure illegal. He replied by explaining to me it would take an hour to get a boat out there & the Coast Guard was probably out there to deal with it.
Sorry, comment time is over.
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