Updated: Woman’s blue bridge rescue delays hydro racing Friday

Emergency crews rescued a woman Friday afternoon after she climbed down onto an I-beam underneath the blue bridge over the Columbia River.

The HAPO Columbia Cup hydroplane races came to a halt about 4 p.m. Friday as authorities responded to the southbound lanes of Highway 395 on the bridge.

The woman was sitting on a beam under the bridge.

Tactical team members in harnesses were lowered down to the woman’s level, and then they put her in a helmet and harness to pull her up about 10 feet to safety.

Rescue boats also responded below the bridge.

Southbound traffic on the bridge between Pasco and Kennewick was reduced to the left lane, while both northbound lanes are open during the rescue.

Once the woman was safely at the road level, the hydroplane racing resumed.

This story was originally published July 26, 2019 at 4:26 PM.