Four people rescued from Spokane River; city recommends life jackets

Emergency personnel rescued four people who were clinging to a tree in the Spokane River on Saturday afternoon.

The group had been floating down the river in inner tubes, which were inadequate for the fast-moving current near High Bridge Park, the city said in a news release.

A group of 35 first responders, including the Spokane Fire Department’s water rescue team, responded to the area at about 1:20 p.m. and found the victims holding the tree about 50 feet from shore, the release said. A fifth person had managed to get out of the water himself.

Rescuers passed out helmets and flotation devices and brought them to shore in a kayak one at a time.

No injuries were reported, but the city called the incident a “reminder to use personal flotation devices” and noted that “river flows continue to be dangerous.”