A second person in as many weeks was rescued from the Fraser River by New Westminster police’s marine unit.
At about 7:30 p.m. on Monday, police were called to the waterfront following a report that someone had fallen into the river and was being swept down the Fraser, according to a media release from New Westminster police.
Sgt. Greg Smith with the department’s marine unit, along with constables Chad Neufeld and Blake Mattinson, hopped into the police boat, SHAW 1, and quickly located the distressed woman underneath the boardwalk, according to the release.
The woman was pulled to safety with no injuries. Police are still unsure how or why the woman ended up in the Fraser River.
This is the second person police have rescued from the Fraser in recent weeks. On April 25, police aboard SHAW 1 pulled a man from the river after his canoe capsized near the Queensborough Bridge.
Sgt. Chad Johnston, spokesperson for the New Westminster police, said it’s unusual for the marine unit to be called out for multiple rescues in such a short period of time. The boat is mainly used for patrol purposes, he added.
New West police Chief Const. Dave Jones added that SHAW 1 and the marine unit play “an integral part in delivering the highest level of service to the members of our community.”
“These calls for service could have ended in tragedy had it not been for the quick thinking of those members involved and their ability to successfully execute these rescues in highly stressful situations,” he added in the release.
