Langley neighbors rescue father and son from Saratoga Passage

By Michaela Marx Wheatley

South Whidbey Record

LANGLEY — The quick response of some Langley neighbors may have saved

a Seattle man's life when he fell into the choppy waters of Saratoga

Passage Friday.

The father and son were on a boat crabbing when the father was swept

overboard, said Paul Busch, assistant fire chief at Fire District 3.

"He had stepped on the back corner of the boat to pull a pot. A big

wave came over the corner and down he went," Busch said.

The Fire District 3's water rescue team pulled the man from the

water, after some locals, who had observed the incident that occured

near the Eagles Nest Bed and Breakfast, had taken a boat out and

rescued the man's young son from the boat.

"Some people on the shore had heard him call for help and had taken a

small boat out," Busch said. "They had taken the boy aboard. We

pulled the man from the water when we arrived."

Fire District 3 was called shortly after 8:30 p.m., Busch said.

"He was in there for about 45 minutes," he added.

The man got away with some mild hypothermia, Busch said. Paramedics

dropped him off at the place they were staying at in Langley.

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