The Thompson River flows past McArthur Island Park in Kamloops.

(SHANNON AINSLIE / iNFOnews.ca)

Sarah Pringle was enjoying an evening swim at Riverside Park in Kamloops last week when she heard someone yelling and looked up to see a young man clinging to a pillar in the river, just outside the roped off public swim area.

“He was visibly shaking and yelling in a different language to a friend on the beach,” she said. “I yelled to him, asking if he was OK and he gave me a thumbs down sign.” 

A former lifeguard and strong swimmer, Pringle immediately started swimming against the current toward the man the evening of Thursday, July 18.

“Once you’re a lifeguard you’re always one. I’m always watching and mindful of swimmers in distress. The current is so strong right now," she said.

Pringle got to the man and helped him grasp onto a rope that designates the swimming area and instructed him to follow her to safety.

“I could see the fear in his eyes and he kept bobbing under the water and gasping for air,” she said. “I grabbed his hand and put it on the rope and told him not to let go, I had my hand over his hand.

“I’m very cautious of secondary drownings, I kept enough space so he couldn’t grab onto me and pull me under.”

Both Pringle and the man made it to safety, but she didn’t get the man’s name and said he didn’t speak English but repeatedly made a praying gesture. 

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The South Thompson River merges with the North Thompson River near downtown Kamloops to form the Thompson River, all of which have strong currents.

Pringle is concerned someone is going to drown unless more preventative action is taken.

It isn’t the first drowning or near drowning on the rivers in Kamloops recently.

Stan Cappis, 50, of Red Deer was swept away in the North Thompson River, Friday afternoon, July 12, 2024, near the Tournament Capital Ranch.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/RCMP

On July 12, a 50-year-old Alberta man Stan Cappis was swept away in the North Thompson River after attempting to rescue two youths being swept down river, and he didn’t resurface.

Despite a search by RCMP officers, a police dog, RCMP air services, firefighters and the public, Cappis, who is presumed to have drown, hasn’t been found. 

On July 8, Kamloops resident Rob Griffiths was riding his bike along the Thompson River when he saw two international students jump into the river off a float plane dock near the airport.

When one student started drowning and the second one struggling, Griffiths jumped in and risked his life to get them safely to shore.

“The current was strong, it was pulling us away from shore and was hard to move in, it took everything to fight it. It all happened in less than five minutes,” he said in a previous interview with iNFOnews.ca. "There was a language barrier but the guys were very thankful.”

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In July, 2022, a Vernon doctor drowned in the Thompson River after going for a swim with his son in the river at McArthur Island Park. The current swept him away but not before he managed to save his son’s life.

Pringle wants to see more safety measures taken to prevent more drownings, specifically for tourists and international students who may not be familiar with the dangers of the river currents.

“Someone is going to drown at Riverside Park,” she said. “There are signs posted at the beach warning swimmers to swim at their own risk... but it isn’t enough.”

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When she saved the drowning victim it was after hours when there isn’t a lifeguard posted. Lifeguards work at the beach seven days per week from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and they make an announcement when they're leaving. 

Pringle is advocating for lifeguards to be on duty until sunset and to have a lifeguard tower to allow guards to see onto the water further.

“The city can afford two more hours of lifeguarding to deal with irresponsible swimmers going out of bounds, they think they’re a strong swimmer and then get caught in the current and that’s it, they're swept away.”

She also wants more effort to be made in bringing awareness of the dangers to international students.

“International students in schools need to be aware of the risk of the river. I’d like to see increased education and pamphlets on river safety in the schools and places they stay,” she said.

Griffiths is also hoping his account of the near drowning will bring more awareness of the dangers of the current particularly for tourists and international students.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Shannon Ainslie or call 250-819-6089 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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