UPDATE: Water-rescue response off Fauntleroy

3:43 AM: Seattle Fire has sent a water-rescue response by land and sea off the 9200 block of Fauntleroy Way SW, south of the ferry dock [map], and a search is under way. Police are assisting. Updates to come.

3:52 AM: SFD says this started after “a caller heard splashing and someone yell for help.” Neither the caller, nor the personnel on scene so far (including rescue swimmers and boat crews), has seen anyone in distress, though.

3:59 AM: According to dispatch, the U.S. Coast Guard is sending a helicopter to help look.

4:03 AM: The incident commander has told responders that since it’s been more than half an hour since the original report (the dispatch was at 3:21 am), they’re switching to “recovery mode,” so divers and rescue swimmers are ceasing their active searching in the water.

4:11 AM: With no sign of anyone in the water, responders are wrapping up the search and apparently canceling the request for USCG help too. A boat crew did find some clothing on a “small swim dock,” though, but nothing to indicate it was placed there recently.

9:31 AM: As a commenter points out, a USCG helicopter is out there now, and flight trackers show it’s been looping over the area. The Coast Guard does not have helicopters based in the immediate area; this one came from Port Angeles.

5 Replies to "UPDATE: Water-rescue response off Fauntleroy"

  • Dan Valente July 24, 2024 (5:02 am)

    Whoever they were looking for stole my kayak and one of my dinghy oars. I mentioned this to the rescue people. I don’t know what everybody was thinking, but for some reason, the firemen and the police left my unman blue kayak floating down the middle of the sound. How many more calls are they gonna get on that? Not very smart!

    • Dan Valente July 24, 2024 (10:00 am)

      Shout out to the Coast Guard for all their good work. While, not the important part of this story they did recover my kayak mid sound and return it.

    • K July 24, 2024 (10:07 am)

      Perhaps they are leaving it to track currents and possibly assist in recovery efforts?

  • LG July 24, 2024 (9:24 am)

    Helicopters and USCG are still out there. 

    • WSB July 24, 2024 (9:30 am)

      Yeah, looks like a helicopter finally was sent around 7:30 am, according to flight log, and has been looping.

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