Woman Rescued From Crow River After Tubing Mishap

FOREST CITY TOWNSHIP (WJON News) -- A woman had to be rescued from a tree after tubing down the Crow River on Tuesday. The Meeker County Sheriff's Office says they received a call at about 4:45 p.m. of a woman clinging to a tree in the river near Litchfield. Once on scene, deputies located 44-year-old Rae Kurtz of Darwin hanging onto part of a tree and being pulled under by the strong current.

Deputies were able to crawl out on the tree through the water and get hold of Kurtz, pull her out of the water, and help her crawl towards shore. Litchfield Fire and Rescue arrived with a boat and was able to take Kurtz to a safe location on shore. The Sheriff's Office says Kurtz was tubing with a friend when she got pulled downriver by the strong current. She struck the downed tree that was lying across the river and fell off, but was able to grab onto the tree. Her friend was able to make it to shore.

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Kurtz was able to call 911, and her phone gave the Sheriff's Office a GPS location so they could find her. Kurtz was treated at the scene, and a deputy was brought to the hospital and treated for exhaustion. Sheriff Brian Cruze says water levels on the Crow River are high and, coupled with strong currents and downed trees, he advises the public to refrain from tubing until the water recedes.

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