Whatcom rescue group pulls two people from Nooksack River during training outing
Members of the Whatcom County Water Rescue Task Force rescued two people who were clinging to a tree in the Nooksack River on Wednesday. Task force members just happened to be conducting training exercises in the area at the time.
The stranded people were practicing for the annual Ski to Sea race taking place this weekend. Their canoe had become pinned under the tree and could not be recovered, according to Officer Cody Barry with the Everson Police Department. Both individuals were wearing life jackets.
“Honestly, the task force was in the right place at the right time,” Barry said. “The team was already conducting river training operations in preparation for Ski to Sea weekend and happened to observe individuals on shore frantically waving for help as rescuers were heading downstream. Given the river conditions and the location of the individuals in the water, the outcome could have been much different had rescuers not already been in the immediate area.”
Barry said the rescue occurred around 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, about 1 mile west of the Lynden Boat Launch, near Bylsma Road.
The rescued individuals were taken back to the Lynden Boat Launch. No injuries were reported.
The Whatcom County Water Rescue Task Force is a combined-effort response team consisting of personnel and rescue boats from Everson Police Department, Sumas Police Department, Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, and Whatcom County Search and Rescue.
.jpg)