Crews conduct swift-water rescues on Yakima, Columbia rivers

RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) — Crews were busy Wednesday with two separate swift-water river rescue operations.

Emergency crews pulled a man from the Yakima River after he fell from his raft near a diversion dam west of the Horn Rapids area in Richland, the Tri-City Herald reported.

Someone spotted the man around 4:30 p.m., according to initial dispatch reports. He fell into the river near Wanawish Dam near the intersection of Highway 240 and Highway 225 and the Hanford nuclear reservation, according to initial reports.

Rescuers pulled him from the water downstream near the Snively Road boat launch, according to reports. His condition was not immediately available.

The Vancouver Fire Department’s Fireboat battled strong currents on the Columbian River to rescue a man who had jumped off the Interstate 5 Bridge, the Columbian reported.

The incident began at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday when callers reported that a man had leapt from the I-5 bridge and was holding on to pilings in swift water just downstream from the bridge.

Crews reached the man as he was weak and falling off the log, a fire department statement said.

The man, whose name was not released, was transported to a waiting AMR ambulance and taken to a hospital for his injuries, the statement said.