A pickup truck went into Lake Washington late Friday night near Lakeside Avenue South and South Day Street, coming to rest roughly 40 feet from shore in about 10 feet of water. Firefighters who reached the submerged cab found it empty, with all four doors hanging open, prompting an expansive search of the surrounding water for anyone who might still be in distress.
Seattle Fire Dept. said on social media that two rescue divers and four rescue swimmers went into the lake to search the area around the vehicle after crews confirmed no occupants were inside the cab, according to Seattle Fire Dept. The department’s post noted the rescue operation was centered at Lakeside Avenue South and South Day Street and reminded the public to call 911 for emergencies. As reported by KING 5, the scene unfolded Friday night along the Lake Washington shoreline, with firefighters searching the cab before deploying divers and swimmers into the surrounding water.
Local witnesses posting to Reddit said two people were seen swimming back to shore and fleeing the area before Seattle Fire Department crews arrived, offering a possible explanation for why the truck was found abandoned with its doors wide open. That account has not been confirmed by law enforcement, and it remains unclear whether police have identified or located anyone connected to the vehicle.
A Familiar Stretch of Shoreline for Water Emergencies
The submerged truck landed at what Seattle Parks and Recreation designates as the Day Street Boat Ramp, a one-acre waterfront park at 1402 Lakeside Avenue South that sits directly beneath the Interstate 90 floating bridge and includes a hand-carry launch for non-motorized boats and a public view deck. The location sits just south of Leschi, where Seattle Parks and Recreation temporarily halted a $7.913 million overhaul of the Leschi Marina earlier this year after merchants complained about waterfront access and parking closures, as Hoodline reported in its coverage of the Leschi Marina dispute…