ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC4) — A father and son were rescued from a sandbar in the middle of a river in St. George Sunday, May 21, according to authorities.
Unfortunately, authorities say this is not at all uncommon.
Washington County’s Swift Water Rescue Team was called after a father and son fell off their raft, getting stuck on a sandbar in the river.
Two rescuers swam to the sandbar and used throw bags “to pendulum both individuals safely back to the side of the river,” according to the county’s Search and Rescue Team. While these two individuals made it home safely, Washington County’s SAR said in a social media post they are seeing “a lot of swift water rescues this year.”
Due to heavy rain and snowfall this year, melting water is not only causing flooding but fast water conditions as well.
“Please be careful if you decide to go in the river. The water is moving a lot faster than it looks and what may seem like a fun outing can easily turn into a potentially deadly scenario,” authorities said.
First responders across the state have been cautioning Utahns to be careful around water as this year’s conditions have increased the danger of rivers and creeks.
