Video: Remember the dangers of Washington's cold, fast rivers

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NEAR NORTH BEND, Wash. - Friends of a 19-year-old man who died while swimming in the Snoqualmie River Saturday say they tried to save him.

It was once their favorite hangout, but looking out into the middle fork of the Snoqualmie Friday, Travis Franklin and Michael Matthews view it differently. Last weekend their friend Ryan Lu lost his life there.

"I remember it was just like perfect day to just go swimming and enjoy the water," said Travis Franklin.

Saturday was hot, close to 90 degrees. The friends came to cool off. Two of them decided to go cliff-jumping while Ryan and Travis watched from below.

"Ryan and I decided we would swim over," Franklin said.

He says the water was pretty calm and they could see right down to the bottom. But about 15 feet out, Ryan lost his footing and was pulled into a 30-foot hole.

"Ryan went down, down the whirlpool and we did all we could to at least save him and we called for help," Franklin said.

The three tried to save Ryan's life, but the pull of the water was so strong they barely managed to escape themselves.

KING

19-year-old Ryan Lu died Saturday while swimming in the Snoqualmie River.

Friends describe Ryan as a hard-working civil engineering student at the University of Illinois.

"It's just really hard to see that this river took that away from him that day," Franklin said. "What a bright future he had."

There are no warning signs, and the King County Sheriff's Department says there are no plans to post them. They say it's best to remember that all parts of the river can be just as dangerous.