Firefighters rescue 1 adult, 2 youths from Bow River after paddleboarding goes awry

Crews with the Calgary Fire Department rescued three paddleboarders clinging to trees in the fast-moving Bow River.

Three people were rescued from the Bow River on Tuesday, prompting the fire department to urge caution on city waterways.

Calgary firefighters found an adult and two youths clinging to trees in the water downstream of Edworthy Park just before noon.

The trio had been paddleboarding.

Jet boats were used to reach all three, as well as their paddleboards and personal items, and bring them safely ashore.

Everyone was wearing lifejackets, but the fire department said the situation shouldn’t have come up in the first place.

“This was a close call incident,” the fire department said in a release issued Tuesday.

“The current conditions are not suitable for recreational activities.”

According to the fire department, the Bow River’s flow rate is up by more than 500 cubic meters per second.

The fire department said that number is nearly twice what would warrant a river safety advisory.