Quesnel- Two women received cuts and bruises when they tried to tube the Cottonwood River between highway 97 and the Quesnel -Hixon road bridge on Saturday.

The pair aged 28 and 29 left the Cottonwood bridge on highway 97 at 2.30 expecting to meet up with friends at 7pm at the old highway bridge . When they hadn’t showed up by 12.30am, the family called police.

Quesnel search and rescue initiated an air and ground search at 6.00am. Sunday . They were found at 11.30 am. and with the assistance of a helicopter were airlifted out of the edge of the river about 6 kilometers downstream from where they had launched their tube.

The two were taken to GR Baker hospital as a precaution and then released.

Police and rescue officials wish to point out that the Cottonwood river is dangerous below the highway 97 bridge, and in spite of signs being posted,people continue to try and defy the river.