By CHAT News Today

UPDATE: Two women rescued by firefighters after raft overturns on South Saskatchewan River

May 30, 2017 | 4:04 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Medicine Hat firefighters are reminding the public to always practice river safety after rescuing two women in their early 20’s from the South Saskatchewan River Tuesday afternoon.

Around 3:30 p.m., firefighters received a call that two women, both in their early 20s, had fallen into the South Saskatchewan River as they were rafting. The aquatics rescue team responded quickly to rescue the two women.

“One was just recovered off-shore near Seven Persons Creek and one other girl was rescued from the water, further down, near Police Point Park,” said Brett Bachewich, acting platoon chief with the Medicine Hat Fire Service.

The women were taken to Strathcona Island Park. One of the women was treated on scene, while the other was taken to hospital in a waiting ambulance. Bachewich says the woman in the ambulance was conscious when the ambulance left.

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The exact condition of the two women is not known.

Bachewich says the women were not wearing life jackets at the time of the incident. He says the incident serves as a reminder for people to practice river safety.

“We try to encourage everybody every year, when they decide to do river runs like this on rafts (to wear) PFD’s (personal flotation devices) with rafts, making sure everybody knows where you’re going, what time you’re going to arrive,” he said. “Make sure if you don’t know the conditions of the river, call over to City Hall, they’ll tell you.”

“The river is up, it’s running faster, and it’s more dangerous obviously when the current is this strong.”

Currently near Police Point Park in #medhat where @medhatpolice are responding to what appears to be a girl in the South Sask River pic.twitter.com/yj9yVAlbmD

— James Wood (@CHATTVJWood) May 30, 2017

EMS appears to be working on transferring patient from boat to ambulance #medhat pic.twitter.com/chu9mSIjq3

— James Wood (@CHATTVJWood) May 30, 2017

Female has been transferred to waiting ambulance. Scene now appears to be calm. #medhat pic.twitter.com/VKuwA7lzX9

— James Wood (@CHATTVJWood) May 30, 2017