Two officers commandeered a jet ski and braved the choppy waters of Lake Washington late Wednesday to save two kayakers.
Around 7 pm, one of the kayakers called 911, reported his boat was full of water and he was having difficulty breathing. He also told police he couldn’t swim and wasn’t wearing a life vest. The man also told 911 operators that his female friend was also out of her boat and in the lake about 100 yards away
Police arrived on scene, saw a woman riding a jet ski near the shore and flagged her down. She turned her jet ski over to Officers Morgan Irwin and Mark Rawlins and provided a life vest.
The officers hopped on the jet ski and took off toward the stranded kayakers, presumably while playing at least *some* air guitar.
The officers first found the female kayaker clinging to her partially submerged kayak and tossed her a life ring.
They then continued on toward the male kayaker, and found him bobbing in and out of the lake as officers pulled alongside him. Officers were able to pull the man onto the back of the jet ski. The SPD Harbor Unit boat picked up both kayakers and took them back to land.
Police turned the kayakers over to Seattle Fire Department EMTs and returned the jet ski to its very helpful owner.
As a reminder: while summer is nigh, the waters around Seattle remain ludicrously cold. Always remember to wear a life vest while boating or venturing into the cold murky waters in our region!