WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — A man stuck in a marsh for over 24 hours is recovering after multiple agencies worked together to rescue him.
On Monday, Whatcom County Sherrif’s Office (WCSO) got a call about a missing person in the Nooksack Slough in Port Angeles.
To help with the search, WCSO requested assistance from the Summit to Sound Search and Rescue crew.
The 4-person volunteer crew from Summit to Sound Search and Rescue team arrived and brought along their search dog Quinn.
WCSO, Whatcom County Search & Rescue Council, the Lummi Nation Police, Bellingham Police, and Bellingham Fire participated in the search.
The Bellingham Police Department responded with a drone to help in the search.
Through a loudspeaker mounted on the drone, officers called out over the slough and were able to locate the man.
Moving through thick brush and waist-deep water, rescuers reached the 56-year-old man, who had been stuck in the marsh for over 30 hours.
The U.S. Coast Guard from Air Station Port Angeles was requested to help airlift the man to safety.
The man was taken to Bellingham International Airport and transported to PeaceHealth St. Joseph’s Medical Center for evaluation.
According to deputies, the man had been gone for over 24 hours when the call was made that he was missing.
No information is available on the current condition of the man.
It's been a busy couple of days for the units of the Whatcom County Search & Rescue (SAR) Council. On Friday, September 6, SAR volunteers responded to three missions, including an accidental personal locator beacon activation. But their work didn't stop there. On Monday, deputies received a call about a person missing in the Nooksack Slough. This person had been missing for 24 hours. Deputies called out Summit to Sound Search & Rescue and their volunteers sprang into action. Two teams and a search dog began a ground search to locate the man. The Bellingham Police Department also responded, deploying its drone to assist in the search. As the drone flew over the slough, its loudspeaker called out to the missing man. The man, who heard the loudspeaker, was able to reply. The drone's loudspeaker and the man's voice helped the teams pinpoint his location. Search teams pushed through thick brush and waist-deep water to reach him. The US Coast Guard Port Angeles was called in to hoist him safely from the dense terrain and fly him to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center as he had been in the brush without food or water for over 30 hours. The successful rescue was a testament to the dedication and expertise of the Whatcom County Search and Rescue volunteers, as well as the collaboration with other agencies, including Lummi Police, Bellingham Fire Department, Bellingham Police Department, and the US Coast Guard. Whatcom County Search and Rescue partners are always able and willing to be dispatched through WCSO. All Whatcom County SAR members are volunteers. Please join us in thanking them for the valuable work they do.
Posted by Whatcom County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, September 10, 2024
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