MONROE, Wash. — Ten people, including a toddler, were rescued Sunday after their innertubes got caught in the Skykomish River near Monroe.
Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue responded to the boat launch on Ben Howard Road about 1:05 p.m.
A 2-year-old child and nine other people were thrown into the river after their innertubes got caught in a strainer, which is a group of fallen trees or root balls that act as a water strainer in the river. The innertubes were all connected when they got stuck several miles upstream of the boat launch.
"Tying these all together is extremely dangerous because if one goes bad, they all go bad. that's exactly what happened," said Peter Mongillo with Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue. "I couldn't imagine being on a floatilla like that with a 2-year-old and being thrown in the water and having to rescue myself and this kid. It's complete chaos."
The 10 people were able to get to shore on their own. Three were stuck on a sandbar, and a rescue boat brought them to a pull-out spot.
The rescue boat then recovered the innertubes from the strainer.
Three people were treated for cold water exposure.
Only the 2-year-old was wearing a lifejacket.
Fire officials remind people these waters are very cold and could still drain someone's energy in a matter of minutes making it difficult to swim. They also warn cheap tubes and floats are not a good idea on any river.
"They're barely qualified to be a floatation device for how cheap they are. They get punctured very easily. When you tie them all together, have a party, have some drinks, you're asking for disaster," said Mongillo.
Strainers are “extremely dangerous,” according to Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue. Swift river currents can pin swimmers underneath the strainers, especially if they aren’t wearing lifejackets. If someone falls into the river without a lifejacket, they float lower below the waterline, which rescuers said lowers the chances of survival if someone gets caught in a strainer.
River floaters are encouraged to watch for strainers downstream and avoid them if possible.