Around 100 to 150 people were rescued from the Salt River Friday, among them, a woman who was rescued is sounding the alarm about water safety and being aware of potentially dangerous situations.
It was Lynda Bechtel and her husband’s first time tubing the Salt River. All was well until a pile-up near Pirates Island led to a massive rescue operation.
“How can something so fun go so wrong,” Bechtel said.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said a large, hazardous branch caused the pileup.
Bechtel said she was pinned in the water, she tells ABC15 multiple sheriff's deputies and people on the banks cut her loose.
“What they ended up cutting off my legs, was four collapsed tubes, two blankets, and a beach towel,” Bechtel said.
Bechtel said her husband bought life vests for the trip. She believes it saved her life.
“If he hadn’t gotten life vests, it would have killed us,” Bechtel said. “Wear a life jacket. You’ve got to wear a life jacket even if you think you’re a good swimmer.”
While not the cause of the backup, the Tonto National Forest posted that the water levels were high and the currents strong during the rescue.
The Salt River Project releases water regularly to serve the Valley’s needs.
SRP officials said there was a water release Friday, however, it was not significantly higher than what’s let out on average.
Bechtel said she wished there was a larger warning system for high water situations.
SRP shares information on water levels, currents and water releases online. The information is updated throughout the day.
The company says people should always be aware of obstructions and flows while out on the water.
