SWAN VALLEY, Idaho — According to the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office a 53-year-old woman was rescued last night from the South Fork of the Snake River near Fall Creek after jumping off her small inflatable kayak.
Dispatch received a call just after 8 p.m. last night from a family member who located the kayak floating near Fall Creek and advised the woman on it had not been seen for over 30 minutes. A Fish and Game Officer and an ISP Trooper, with the help of a citizen flying a drone were able to locate the victim approximately a half mile upstream from Fall Creek. Deputies were able to recover the victim by boat and take her to an awaiting ambulance at the Spring Creek Boat Ramp where she was treated for mild hypothermia symptoms.
The victim had been separated from the rest of her party down a different channel, after being caught in the current and unable to swim out of it. At that point, the victim jumped from the kayak to avoid three moose in the channel and floated downstream until she could get to the nearest bank of an island in the river.
None of the parties floating together were wearing lifejackets or were familiar with the strong currents and dangers in the river.
Officials warn that even with daytime temperatures in the nineties, water temperatures are still cold enough for hypothermia to set in quickly.
