Fisherman lost on kitimat
 

Sad news.. 3 pontoons floating down kitimat. 1st 2 hit an impassable log jam, 3rd guy bailed before he got to it. Sounds like no life jacket and hasn't been seen since. Happened on Saturday. The group was from Alberta. I was thinking possibly a member from here...

So all three guys are missing?

From what I heard 2 are ok. 1 still missing and search continues

Terrible. I always get scared when I see a tree across while on my sit on kayak.

I hope the best for he missing one.

Was out on the weekend, almost nobody ever wears life jackets. Kind of hard to put on once you are in the water. If you hit the water, put it on.
Hope they find him safe.

I fish on the bank wearing a life jacket! I swim like a rock. Mine inflates once its wet. Had some close calls over the years! My PFD is called a HIT, and I wear my vest over top.

BW

My PFD, keeps me nice warm/toasty.

Good on you for wearing a PFD but you should really learn to swim. My Dad learned to swim in his mid 60's so it's never too late.

We had both our kids in the water literally from the time they were born, yet we always have them in life jackets when they're near the water. I don't think we let our oldest on a dock without his life jacket until he was 10 or 12. Its so sad to see all these kids dying every summer from something so preventable.

I was fishing on the north saskatchewan river one time with my son who was 5 at the time and two friends and one of their sons who also was 5. We hooked into a huge sturgeon and in the excitement we stopped paying attention to the boys, luckily my son started saying "Dad, Reilly is drowning!" I turned and looked and all that was sticking out of the murky water was the top of his head and his eyeballs. I dove in and grabbed him and brought him back to shore. If it wasn't for my son that boy would have never seen his 6th birthday I know for a fact. For whatever reason he didn't call for help, I'm not sure if it was panic or embarrassment or what it was, but for some reason he just silently went under.

Swimming lessons may not totally prevent the chance of drowning but they sure don't hurt. When it comes to rivers, the undertow can suck even the best swimmers under without a problem.

Play safe out there folks.

Kurt505 - most drownings are silent.

Unfortunately, as Dr. Linda Quan, an emergency attending physician and drowning expert at Seattle Children’s Hospital explains, drowning is often silent, which makes it that much more dangerous.

“Most drowning occurs quickly and without much noise,” said Quan. “Victims typically don’t have the energy to scream for help or splash around. It can only take seconds for a child or teen to drown. It’s far from what Hollywood has depicted.”

Kitimat
 

Just back from an 8 day trip on the Kitamat,Did some guided drifting, no sign of any log jams.They must have went further up river,beyond the everyday drifters.When travelling remote waters,you absolutely must wear a floatation device,no if ands or buts.I did a lot of canoeing on nfld rivers and have been in the water a few times, the shock and panick is instant, no time for reaction,the water unforgiveing,the life jacket will save you.

Yep, on a river PFD is on period. I've had the privilege of ping-ponging off rocks after eating it in a section of rapids. Got stuck in a few back-washing hydraulics that cycle you back under until I finally got spit out into an eddy pool. Ghost white and in shock I dragged myself to the bank. Took a long while to get my wits about me. No PFD, good chance I may have been DOA.

There's a horrible log jam 1km below the upper Orange bridge.

Stresses how important PFDs are. Just invested 400 in new ones for the wife and me. Can’t put a price tag on life

A PFD likely isnt going to do you much good on a log jam... better just steer cleear of them. In fact, better talk to people in the know, prior to embarking.

Most drownings also happen within 50 feet or so of safety. So if you could swim a little, it could save your life. Doesn't take much to swim 50 feet.

Here's the news story :

https://www.terracestandard.com/news...kitimat-river/

What shame he’s a very good friend of mine !!! Life jacket or not log jams take a lot of lives....

A shame indeed montec... I guess they found his body this morning

Yea they did. His friend Peter who went looking with the other guys found him lodged under some logs down stream. They claim he must have passed away as soon as he went under but I am still waiting to hear first hand from Peter.

http://www.vancourier.com/alberta-ma...ead-1.23365096

Sorry to hear, we use to call them sweepers, and they are very dangerous, will capsize a boat very easily, take people under with or without a life jacket but I would take my chances and wear a life jacket all the time.

Sad to hear, condolences on the loss of a friend.

Yes a shame will be missed big time Robert was a hardcore fisherman miss u buddy 👊 r.i.p

Sad news

Sad news indeed. :(