Teton County Search and Rescue (TCSAR) responded to a distress call on Wednesday, rescuing a woman who was swept downstream in the Snake River without a life jacket. The incident occurred when a party of five, including one adult male, one adult female, and three children, experienced trouble after launching from the Wilson boat ramp.
Rescue Efforts
TCSAR personnel, who were in the area for a training exercise, immediately responded to the distress call and found the stranded party of four about 3 miles downriver from the put-in. The team continued to look for the missing woman, locating her 3 miles farther downriver, cold and tired but uninjured.
TCSAR volunteers got her into the jet boat, planning to bring her back upriver to her party. However, the jet boat experienced mechanical issues and was unable to reach the original group. Additional resources were diverted, and another TCSAR team in a search and rescue truck with an inflatable cataraft drove south down the Snake River levee from the Wilson bridge.
The team was able to use the cataraft to ferry the stranded group across the river to safety. TCSAR volunteers then transported the rafters to the SAR HQ in town, and everyone called it a day. The agency emphasized the importance of prioritizing safety when recreating on the water, urging boaters to have the appropriate skill level, knowledge, and equipment.
Original reporting: Buckrail (Jackson WY) — read the source article.
