1 Dead After Paddleboat Capsizes In Puget Sound

BURIEN, WA - A man died and a woman is in critical condition after a small boat capsized in Puget Sound during rough weather over the weekend. King County and U.S. Coast Guard personnel responded to a the scene off the shores of Burien around 3 a.m. Sunday.

Around 4:50 a.m., rescue crews located the woman floating in the water near Seahurst Park. The deceased man was found about 20 minutes later.

Here's more from a Coast Guard press release:

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Port Angeles and a Station Seattle rescue boat crew aboard a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium responded to the incident and transferred both mariners to local Emergency Medical Service personnel.

Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound watchstanders received initial notification from King County Dispatch at 2:53 a.m., reporting two individuals aboard a paddleboat potentially beset by weather. Sector personnel established communication with the mariners via cell phone and reported hearing a loud scream before losing connection.

Once on scene, the Coast Guard aircrew discovered the capsized vessel near Seahurst Park.
At 4:51 a.m., the aircrew located an unresponsive female in the water and vectored in the boat crew to rescue her. The crew transported her to the Fauntleroy Ferry dock where a local EMS crew was waiting.

At 5:02 a.m., a male was recovered by the helicopter crew and transported to Boeing airfield where he was pronounced dead by a local EMS crew at 5:38 a.m.

The female is reportedly in critical condition and is being treated at Harborview Medical Center hospital.

Image courtesy U.S. Coast Guard