Benton County, WA, Boat Sinks During Rescue Operation

A water rescue took a dramatic turn this week when a fire crew ended up in the churning Yakima River along with the men they were trying to save.

The rescuers and two stranded rafters were swept downstream about 30 yards before being pulled to safety by other emergency responders.

And the $72,000 emergency boat sent to save them sank in the turbulent waters.

Sheriff’s Lt. Mike Clark said a “freak accident” caused the Benton County rescue boat to get sucked under the current of the irrigation diversion dam near Richland as the crew was trying to help the rafters.

One fire official stayed on board the capsizing boat for about an hour before he had to leap to safety to another sheriff’s department boat.

Later, about 10 p.m., county officials managed to pulled the boat free and tow it to a Benton City fire station to assess the damage.

The rafters were apparently on the river in an official capacity Monday when they drifted beyond the warning signs and accidentally went over the treacherous Wanawish Dam near Horn Rapids, getting stuck in the strong undercurrent.

The Wanawish Dam is off Highway 240 near the Hanford nuclear site and near Highway 225.

Diversion dams have short drop-offs but the deadly undercurrents can trap boats and swimmers.

One of the rafters managed to call 911 for help at 11:45 a.m. Monday and rescuers from Benton County Fire District 2 in Benton City launched their special emergency boat.

Benton County Fire District 2 and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office shared the cost of the $72,000, 18-foot tunnel-hulled jet boat used for water rescues. 

The 18-foot custom jet boat purchased three years ago is designed to run in only inches of water between the Tri-Cities and Prosser, especially during low-water summer conditions.

At the time, Fire District 2 and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office split the cost, and members of the fire department were trained in swift water rescues.

On Monday, the emergency boat ended up fully submerged within a few hours after it got pulled down into the turbulence at the base of the dam.

Benton County Sheriff Tom Croskrey posted a photo of the submerged Benton County Fire District 2 rescue boat involved in Monday’s rescue. Benton County Sheriff Tom Croskrey

The rescue crew on the boat and the rafters were tossed into the water and carried down the river, where the water was calmer and shallow enough for them to stand up. They were pulled to safety by dive rescue members and others.

One of the rafters was treated for mild hypothermia.

Officials from Fire Districts 2 and 4, the sheriff’s office, Richland fire department, Columbia Basin Dive Rescue and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife helped in Monday’s efforts. A Fire District 4 firefighter also was hurt but the extent of the injury was not released.

It’s unclear what the cost will be to repair the damaged boat.

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