Emergency personnel rescued a woman who was swimming Tuesday evening in the Columbia River, near the Interstate 5 bridge.
The call came in at 5:07 p.m., describing someone possibly jumping from the bridge. Vancouver Fire Battalion Chief Dave Seabrook said he did not believe the woman jumped. He said she was distraught and swimming in the water near a bridge pillar.
“We were very much concerned for her safety with the current and the eddies,” Seabrook said. At this time of the year, the current is typically 2 knots, or 2 to 3 mph, he said.
It was not immediately clear how she ended up in the water or how she was rescued by the firefighters. Vancouver police Sgt. Mike Davis said the woman was transported to a local hospital for a mental health evaluation.
