Ucluelet police are urging locals and visitors not to swim in Wally Creek after fast-moving rapids sucked a 36 year-old woman over a waterfall and into a rocky canyon area in the middle of the creek late Friday afternoon.
“She was in a pool of water near some rapids and got sucked into the current and went over a waterfall where she ended up getting stuck and needed to be rescued,” said Sgt. Steve Mancini of the Ucluelet RCMP. “Fortunately for her, she was not injured and was cleared by paramedics at the scene.”
Local first responders were called to the scene at 3:24 p.m. on July 27 and Westcoast Inland Search and Rescue manager Garth Cameron said his team conducted a rope-rescue and brought the woman to safety within an hour, with assistance from the Port Alberni Rescue Squad.
“Alberni Valley Rescue Squad was awesome and great support. Our team rocked it and pulled off an excellent rescue,” Cameron said adding the woman was banged up, but escaped without serious injuries. “She was in great spirits and she was so appreciative of what we did for her.”
Wally Creek is a popular viewing spot for travelers heading through Highway 4 on their way in and out of the West Coast, but Mancini said the view should be enjoyed from a distance.
“There’s a couple of pools of water where people thought it would be a good idea to swim in but, in those pools of water, there’s currents that suck you out into the main river, which ultimately takes you down rapids,” Mancini said. “We realize that it’s a place where people like to visit and it’s a popular tourist stop on the way in, but we’d like to remind people of the dangers of going into rough, fast-flowing, waters. This person was very lucky to have made it out of there uninjured…It’s not safe and it’s not an appropriate place to stop for a swim.”
Tourist dies on fishing vessel
A visitor in his late 50’s died suddenly of a suspected heart attack in Ucluelet on Monday morning.
The man was part of a group of people who had rented a fishing charter and were going through a safety demonstration prior to leaving the dock when he passed away.
“Attempts to resuscitate by local first responders were unsuccessful,” said Sgt. Mancini.
Mancini said a cause of death is not yet known, but police do not believe foul play was involved.