Harrowing near-drowning incident along Thompson River sparks water safety reminder

“Immediately, I thought, ‘This is not good.’ And it went from jumping in to drowning in about twenty seconds,” he explains.

Griffiths says he ran down the steep rocks lining the riverbank, yelled for others on the shoreline to call 9-1-1, and leapt into the water.

“The one guy tried to swim back to the dock and he got gassed out right away. And then the other guy started bobbing,” says Griffiths. “The guy was going down — like, he had been down (under the water) five, six times before I got to him. And he had been down so long, by the time I got to him I thought I was going to be diving for him.”

Kelly Taylor was at the riverbank that night and saw what happened.

“I really thought I was going to watch someone drown, and it was a horrible feeling,” says Taylor.

When describing Griffiths helping the two men to shore, Taylor says that initial feeling of dread turned into relief for a safe outcome.

“Definitely heroic,” he says of the action taken. “No doubt about it. He (Griffiths) didn’t think, he just went into the river, right? And yeah, it did come close to costing him his own life because he had to bring both of them back to shore, and the one guy was no longer swimming at all anymore, and the other guy was barely swimming at all.”

The scenario also serves as a pointed reminder of safety for any type of activity on the water — whether it be swimming, boating, canoeing, kayaking or paddle boarding.

“I think the biggest thing that everybody thinks about is, wear a life jacket or a PFD,” reiterates Frank Pryce, who is the swiftwater and ice rescue discipline lead and vice-president of Kamloops Search and Rescue (KSAR).

In an area known for its lakes and rivers, KSAR says it’s important to plan ahead and be aware of what could go wrong.

“And then to assess the situation wherever you’re at. If you look at it, probably right out here (the centre of the South Thompson River) wouldn’t be as good of a place to swim as right over there (in the Riverside Park swimming area), because it’s out of the current, it’s a protected area where people can swim,” Pryce explains. “You don’t want to be out in the middle of the river or outside on the bends of a river, things like that.”

And if a situation does go awry, Pryce says it’s a good idea to be ready to do a quick risk assessment in your head of what you can realistically and safely do to help.

“I’m still evaluating my decision of jumping in,” reflects Griffiths, who says he is an experienced swimmer and felt he had the fitness level required to swim out to get the young men. “Yeah, it turned out great, but it could have been a tragedy and a ‘What a stupid guy’ move. I still haven’t resolved that contradiction because it was 50/50.”

Monday’s experience has left Griffiths feeling shaken up, but he’s also become more adamant that better signs and education around river hazards could prevent further incidents — or even save lives.

“More signage, better education,” he reiterates, “and people — take your swimming lessons and swim in protected places. This is not a good place to swim. Period.”

Rob Griffiths speaking to CFJC Today on July 12, 2024. (Image Credit: Kent Simmonds / CFJC Today)

by Dylana Kneeshaw

Harrowing near-drowning incident along Thompson River sparks water safety reminder

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