Search Continues For Missing In Fatal Tubing Accident Near Grand Forks
Prince George, BC – With RCMP here advising there were no incidents or injuries reported as a result of yesterday’s mass float down the Nechako River, emergency personnel are out searching the Kettle River near Grand Forks today after a tubing misadventure near that community claimed two lives, and a third person remains missing.
RCMP Senior Media Relations Officer, Corporal Dan Moskaluk, says the trio had been part of a group of 13 people tubing on the Kettle River yesterday afternoon. He says the two men and one woman were swept up in a current and carried over a set of nearby waterfalls.
Witnesses on shore were able to pull one man from the river immediately below the falls, but efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. Efforts to recover the woman’s body from the river before nightfall were unsuccessful. Corporal Moskaluk says SAR swift water technicians resumed their efforts this morning. The pair have been identified as a 74-year-old man and 71-year-old woman, husband and wife, from Christina Lake. A police helicopter continues to scan the river for a 50-year-old man from Scotland still missing.
Meantime approximately 100 people took part in what’s become an annual event in Prince George, the Nechako River float, yesterday…
Local RCMP and partner agencies – Prince George Search and Rescue, PG Fire Rescue, the Conservation Officers Service and BC Parks – patrolled the 22-kilometre stretch of river from Wilkins Park to Cottonwood Island Park for about four-and-a-half hours over the course of the event yesterday.
Corporal Craig Douglass says although Prince George RCMP are pleased with the results of the event, there is certainly more room for improvement. He says the majority of participants still did not have life jackets on and used cheap inflatables on the fast-moving river. He thanked those that did wear proper personal floatation devices. "In the end, we are grateful that everyone made it home safely."
Comments
Tubing the Kettle river is really stupid. I’ve swam in that river lots… it has great pools carved out of the rock in the river bed where the water is really warm and the scenery is fantastic… but most people only swim in the holes and only a fool would try to tub down the river. Being the guy was from Christina Lake and was in his 70’s he should have known better. The only thing I can guess is that his foreign guest got into the current and they all went after him?
I grew up in Grand Forks, and actually the Kettle River is one of the most beautiful rivers in the province to tube down. The river winds its way through the valley among the farms, low gradient, gentle little rapids, very safe…..all except for the Cascade gorge near Christina Lake just before it heads south into Washington State (and Lake Roosevelt). Lots of people swim in the pools directly above the gorge, however in higher water the flow can be very strong there…… that’s why most people tube 20-30km upstream around Grand Forks, where the river is gentle and safe. The gorge area sadly has claimed many lives, from tubing/swimming mishaps, Kayakers trying to run the gorge and people trying to jump off the 140ft tall hwy bridge at the tail-out of the gorge. You have to respect all rivers, especially around gorges, waterfalls and log jams. My condolences go out to the families of the ones who perished.
Ya my comments probably were not the best thought out. I’ve only been a visitor there and only know part of the river near the gorge… really neat area though. My condolences also go out to the families of the ones that perished.
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