UPDATE – According to LT Kent O’Donnell of the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, nine young adults had put in the river at Sportsman’s Park boat access with the plan to float to Riverside Park in Laurel.
They were floating on what he called “Walmart specials” when a thunderstorm came through and they decided to get off the river and onto an island. One of the rafters was able to call her father, who instructed her to call 911 so they could track her GPS location.
Rescuers waited until the storm passed before launching at Riverside and traveling upriver to locate the group.
It is still unclear whether any of them we wearing life jackets while on the river.
LAUREL – Several people were rescued Saturday from the Yellowstone River between Park City and Laurel.
Six males and three females were pulled from the river a little before 6 p.m.
Laurel Fire and Rescue Chief J.W. Hopper said that a female had contacted her father from the river, who then called Laurel fire.
Laurel Fire, Yellowstone County Sheriffs and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation responded.
A sheriff’s boat was launched as well as citizen’s boat with a firefighter onboard.
It appeared the young adults were floating the river in play-sized rafts and possibly innertubes. Life jackets were seen on the people while heading into shore in the rescue boats, however, at this time it is still unclear if they were being worn in the rafts.
