Off-duty WDFW employees rescue couple who fell overboard
Jul 4, 2025, 7:09 PM
A WDFW employee surveying a landscape. (Photo courtesy of WDFW)
(Photo courtesy of WDFW)
Two off-duty Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) employees rescued a couple from a boating incident near Point Defiance Park in Tacoma in June.
Andrew Potter and Tom Mathews, who have over 30 years of combined experience with the WDFW, were fishing west of the Clay Banks after work when they noticed the couple fall overboard from their boat, according to a release from the department.
The incident happened around 6:30 p.m. when Potter and Mathews saw the couple go overboard without lifejackets.
The couple’s boat was still in gear and continued to circle.
Reacting quickly, the off-duty employees used their training to rescue the woman, who was struggling to stay afloat, and then assisted the man, who managed to grab onto their boat.
They were able to turn off the motor and bring the couple to a local dock before hypothermia could set in.
The couple, who had just purchased the boat and were inexperienced, did not suffer any injuries or need medical attention, WDFW said.
The man involved in the incident said that he would wear a life jacket in the future.
