Connected innertubes flip, ten thrown into the river including a toddler in Monroe

MONROE, Wash. — Ten people including a 2-year-old toddler floating on connected innertubes fell into the river when the tubes overturned in Monroe.

Around 1:05 p.m. Sunday, Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue crews answered calls near a boat launch on Ben Howard Road East in Monroe that 10 people fell into the river when the tubes they were riding turned over.

According to crews on the ground the intertubes were all connected and got caught in a strainer, which caused them to be thrown into the river.

A strainer is a river hazard where large debris, such as trees or man-made objects, get trapped in the river causing it to catch larger items flowing down the river while the water flows through it.

None of the people thrown in the water had life jackets on, except for the toddler.

All ten were able to get out of the water but three needed assistance getting out of a sandbar they were stuck in.

Crews put a boat in the water and rescued the three stuck in the sandbar who were then treated after being in extremely cold water for some time.

After the people were taken back to shore, crews returned to remove all the innertubes from the strainer.

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