Woman critical after rescue from Spokane River

A woman is in critical condition after she was pulled unconscious and unresponsive from the Spokane River at Mirabeau Park this afternoon. The woman, in her early to mid-30s, was rescued by two kayakers on the river, the Spokane Valley Fire Department said. The kayakers were alerted to woman’s situation by Spokane Valley Police Department officers from shore. Once they brought her off the river, the officers performed CPR on the victim until fire department and ambulance crews arrived. After about 15 minutes of CPR and advanced life-support medical care, the woman was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center with a pulse. Preliminary information indicates that the woman and her husband had been floating the river and became separated from their inner-tube, and the woman submerged and drifted downstream from about Evergreen Road. Her husband got out of the river and approached a person on the Centennial Trail, who then called 911 at 2:10 p.m. Spokane Valley officers responded and saw the woman drifting downstream at Mirabeau Park. The rafters were not wearing appropriate flotation equipment, increasing their risk for potential drowning, officials said.