INDEX — Two Japanese citizens who drowned at Eagle Falls over the weekend have been identified.
Around 4:15 p.m. Saturday, rescue teams responded to reports that two men had gone underwater and did not resurface, in the notoriously dangerous stretch of the Skykomish River east of Index.
On Tuesday, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the deceased as Hiroya Konosu, 21, and Takayuki Suzuki, 34, of Japan. The pair was reportedly part of a four-person group.
It was unclear how long they had been in the United States, or how long they intended to stay.
Crews searched for the missing men throughout the evening Saturday, when the temperature reached a record high in Everett, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. Their bodies were recovered Sunday.
On a sunny Monday afternoon, nobody was swimming or parked at Eagle Falls, the gorgeous but dangerous swimming hole along U.S. 2 that has exploded in popularity due to social media.
The falls have become a “hot spot” for drowning deaths the past few years, Sky Valley Fire Chief Eric Andrews said Tuesday.
The falls went viral on TikTok in 2020. Two people drowned that summer, while four others were pulled out by bystanders and revived. First responders rescued several others.
Andrews said the TikTok surge has calmed down, but the falls remain pretty popular.
“The falls are quite beautiful, very attractive looking,” Andrews said. “But that’s also what makes them so dangerous.”
First responders, as well as survivors of drowning victims, have urged people to admire the falls from a safe distance — away from the water.
Here are some safety tips before entering any body of water:
• Always wear a life jacket when you are on the water. Never go near moving water without one.
• Beach logs, riverbanks and rocks near the shore are usually slippery. A fall can knock you unconscious and prevent you from being able to save yourself.
• Consider bringing a whistle. If you are in trouble, it could help alert people nearby.
• Keep kids within arm’s reach. Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among young children.
Maya Tizon: 425-339-3434; maya.tizon@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @mayatizon.
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