Canoe, kayak rentals on pause at Riverside Park after 6 people rescued from Thompson River Tuesday

“They got into the current of both rivers at the same time so there’s even more danger from the eddies that are around that area and the whirlpools. They did tip over quite easily and they were in the water before they knew it.”

Hartt said firefighters were preparing for a training exercise nearby when they were called in to help. He added KFR pulled two people from the water, noting the other four had already been rescued by another boater, who happened to be in the area.

“All of the people had lifejackets but two were not done up completely due to the fact that they may have been sitting on them or not using them properly,” Hartt said. “They were on, just not done up.”

No injuries were reported and the identities of the six people rescued are not known at this time. They were on watercraft they rented from Okanagan Affordable Rentals, which operates out of Riverside Park.

“We can offer the safety equipment and the advice and the instructions but, unfortunately, when they get on the river, they are at their own devices,” owner Kevin Topping said. “We hope they do take our information very seriously but, unfortunately, yesterday was not one of those days.”

Topping said all renters have to sign waivers before they get out on the water. They’re also encouraged to review safety protocols, though he also conceded there is only so much they can do.

“We tell them over and over and over again about safety protocols but we can’t go with them on the water to police them and make sure they’re using their life jackets,” Topping said.

Following discussions with Kamloops Fire Rescue, Topping said they’ll be pausing all canoe and kayak rentals until river levels drop, in the hopes of preventing future incidents. While it’s a hit to his business, Topping added, “Safety always trumps everything.”

“It should be about two weeks before rentals are back, though it could be a bit a little bit more as we just want to make sure everyone is safe,” Topping said. “We are in talks with [KFR] about actually creating a video and everyone who rents from us will have to watch prior to going out on the river.”

Kamloops Fire Rescue also continues to stress water safety around the Thompson River, which Hartt said is expected to rise further in the days ahead. He also reminded people to wear life jackets while out on the water just in case something was to go wrong.

“Even if you’re floating down the river on your air mattress or your inner tube, put a [personal flotation device] on or have one close by,” Hartt said. “Your inner tube is not going to act as a proper floatation device, so even if you’re wearing one that you manually inflate with the pull cord, it can help.

“Just have something with you if you’re out on the river.”

by Victor Kaisar

Canoe, kayak rentals on pause at Riverside Park after 6 people rescued from Thompson River Tuesday

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