Woman vanishes in raging Washington river after slipping in with dog
The Pierce County Sheriff's Office said a loved one witnessed the incident near the Fairfax Bridge and attempted to help the woman but was unable to prevent her from being swept away by the Carbon River's strong current.
Woman missing after falling into rushing rapids of Washington state river
A search for a 28-year-old woman who was likely swept away by a raging Washington state river on Sunday with her dog has turned into a recovery mission, deputies said.
CARBONADO, Wash. – A search for a 28-year-old woman who was likely swept away by a raging Washington state river on Sunday with her dog has turned into a recovery mission, deputies said.
The Pierce County Sheriff's Office said a loved one witnessed the incident near the Fairfax Bridge in Carbonado and attempted to help the woman but was unable to prevent her from being swept away by the Carbon River's strong current. This comes as an atmospheric river dropped more than 1.6 inches of rain in the area on Sunday.
A woman and her dog both slipped into the Carbon River underneath the Fairfax Bridge on Sunday in Pierce County, Washington.
(Pierce County Sheriff’s Office)
Pierce County Sheriff's Department's swift water and rope rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the scene. Due to the challenging terrain, which included a 50-foot canyon, drones were deployed to conduct an aerial search downriver.
In a hopeful development, the woman's dog was located alive approximately a quarter of a mile downstream. Fire department personnel, equipped with rope rescue gear, successfully rescued the dog.
Despite extensive search efforts, the woman was not located. The search was suspended due to inclement weather, difficult terrain and the onset of darkness.
A swift water rescue team from the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, along with their search and rescue rope techs, responded to the site.
(Pierce County Sheriff’s Office)
Deputies resumed the search Monday morning, utilizing drones to cover the area. However, given the time elapsed and conditions, the operation has now been classified as a recovery mission.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing. Authorities have not yet released the identity of the missing woman.