Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office has busy weekend on the waterways

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —Memorial Day weekend is one of the busiest days of the year for outdoor recreation, and the Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office is reminding those who will be heading out to rivers and lakes next weekend to be mindful of the required safety equipment and the dangers of the area they are recreating, as law enforcement had to perform multiple life-saving operations on the waterways this weekend.

On Saturday, the sheriff’s office was kept busy on waterways through Twin Falls County and a neighboring state as numerous boat inspections were conducted and citations issued for people not bothering to bring a life jacket with them.

Just after 5 PM Saturday, deputies and search and rescue personnel were called by the Elko County Sheriff’s Office to Jackpot to aid in the rescue of three people, including an elderly couple in their 80s who set out to kayak Salmon Falls Creek from the rest area south of Jackpot who had capsized near the fish weir. Flows on the creek right now are approximately 1,000 cfs.

While responding to Jackpot, deputies were also dispatched to Murtaugh Lake for a report of an individual who had been bow riding and slid off the bow while the boat was turning. Subsequently, as the boat was turning, the individual’s foot came in contact with the propeller of the boat. The individual was airlifted to Utah by Air St. Luke’s.

The sheriff’s department is reminding those who go out to recreate on the water to be mindful of the required safety equipment and take it with them. People also need to know their skills, abilities, and the dangers of the water they will be going to, and never ever ride on the bow of a boat.