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Close call on Roaring Fork River

Carbondale and Basalt emergency responders pulled a raft out of a strainer in the Roaring Fork River Tuesday afternoon.

None of the three boaters were injured, which is fortunate considering none were wearing a flotation device when their boat hit the strainer just downstream of Aspen Glen and capsized.

A strainer is a tree branch or collection of branches in the river, which is dangerous because it can flip a boat or hang up swimmers and keep them under water.



In this case two of the boaters went under the strainer, where the boat became lodged. Emergency responders from Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District and Basalt & Rural Fire Protection District were dispatched at about 2:15 p.m. to the scene, where the three boaters were stuck on a sandbar.

By about 4 p.m. they had dislodged the raft, and the boaters were able to finish their trip, said Rob Goodwin, deputy fire chief at Carbondale & Rural Fire. Assisting in the river rescue were seven responders from Carbondale and seven from Basalt.


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