Police, fire search for an hour after women capsize in Yakima River

A Sunday kayaking trip turned into an hour-long search when two women capsized in the Yakima River.

The pair weren’t prepared for the river’s speed, and both vessels overturned at about 12:30 p.m, said Richland police Sgt. Drew Florence said. One of the women was able to keep her seat when she righted herself.

The other woman, who wasn’t wearing her life jacket, was thrown into the water close to shore, grabbed a tree root and pulled herself out of the river.

“The one who didn’t submerge was able to make a phone call,” Florence said.

They weren’t able to move through the heavy brush because one of them lost her shoes, Florence said.

Richland and West Richland police and Richland firefighters spent about an hour looking for the pair. West Richland officers spotted them from the opposite shore.

The women suffered minor injuries.

This story was originally published April 2, 2017 at 7:27 PM with the headline "Police, fire search for an hour after women capsize in Yakima River."