Latest news with #tubing
National Post
3 days ago
- National Post
Family shares love for boy, 10, killed in Vancouver boat crash: 'He was a champion'
Article content Article content Shelley Klassen says her 10-year-old son Lionel and his best friend since kindergarten were 'super excited' on a hot, sunny Saturday to spend the afternoon tubing on the waters off Cates Park in North Vancouver. Article content 'We thought it was a great, fun day for the kids,' said the grieving mother over the phone on Monday — while she and the family come to grips with Lionel's death when the inflatable raft they were being towed on was hit by a speed boat, a catastrophic crash that also left his friend in critical condition. Article content North Vancouver RCMP say the driver of the boat that hit them was arrested and released on conditions until an Aug. 27 court date, and police allege speed and alcohol are likely factors. Article content Klassen said they thought they did their 'due diligence' and knew the family well who were towing the boys behind their boat. 'The mother was an experienced boater and she had taken the kids out many times. … It was going to be a great day of fun out on the water. Article content 'We did not think in a million years something like this would happen.' Article content Klassen said the boys and the adults with them were due home around 9 p.m. When they failed to show up, she texted, then called the other boy's mother. Article content 'She answered the phone, but she was incoherent,' said Klassen. 'She couldn't tell me, she just was mumbling and crying, and saying, 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry.'' Article content After frantically calling 911 and hospitals, Klassen and her husband, Jason Hall, were told police were coming to see them. Their youngest child was dead. Article content 'We've been told that he was killed on impact, thank god,' said Klassen. 'I'm praying that he didn't see it coming and he went out joyfully.' Article content Article content 'He was that kid where everybody loved him, and he was always for the underdog,' said Klassen. 'He was full of life and light, he was that guy, joyful, dancing, non-stop funny, great sense of humour,' she said. 'We were so ridiculously blessed to have him.' Article content Klassen and Hall say Lionel's friend is not doing well. They've been told he has a brain injury and several skull and limb fractures. 'He's in an induced coma and he's non-responsive,' said Klassen. Article content Klassen said Lionel was a budding sports phenom who liked everything, including track, rugby and soccer, but especially soccer. 'He got to see Lionel Messi play when he came (to Vancouver). He got to go to the game.' Article content Police say the investigation continues. 'We expect to forward charges at a later date,' said RCMP Cpl. Mansoor Sahak on Monday. After the collision, many people reported seeing a speed boat that matched the description of the vessel that police towed — a Scarab 33 cigarette boat — speeding around Indian Arm that day. Article content Just after 6 p.m., John Belisle and his wife were in their kayaks when they spotted a boat leaving Deep Cove at speeds of about 80 km/h. It was initially beside with another watercraft, said Belisle, and he wasn't sure if they were racing or travelling together. But within seconds, the Scarab left the other boat behind in its wake. Article content 'We've never seen a boat going at that speed that close to shore,' he said. 'We were just dumbfounded.' Article content Article content Belisle and his wife visually followed the boat until it disappeared around the bend as it approached Cates Park. 'Both of us were going 'I hope that person doesn't get a kayaker.'' Article content They paddled along, enjoying the busy waterway on a sunny and warm spring evening. Then, about 20 minutes later, they heard sirens pierce the air. Article content Police have not identified the operator of the boat, but friends and acquaintances who know him told Postmedia the man is a 38-year-old North Vancouver resident, and an avid boater. Article content He also likes riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles and knows how to fly helicopters. Article content At the time of the crash, the man was with his girlfriend, a male friend and a fourth person. Article content Parents Klassen and Hall say they're telling Lionel's two older siblings the family must 'live big' now, as Lionel did. Article content 'We were telling them, this is for us to live big and be big, and not shrink and crumble,' says Klassen. 'We've got him under our wings, he is still with us. He is the biggest, brightest light and we are always still connected. Article content Article content Article content Article content
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Family rescued from Arkansas River
(PUEBLO, Colo.)– A rescue was caught on camera in Pueblo County on Monday, June 9, when bystanders pulled three people out from the Arkansas River after their tube flipped at the Waterworks Park in the Steel City. Multiple people have already drowned in Colorado this year, and on Monday, a family went under the rapids right in front FOX21's camera crew as reporter Carolynn Felling was about to interview the Pueblo Fire Department about water safety. The family went from enjoying a day on the river to struggling to stay afloat in a matter of seconds. 'You know, he could have lost his life. She could have lost her life, and her family,' said Rebecca Helbermin, a witness who saw the family go under. It can happen to anyone in a moment. 'If she hadn't asked for help, she probably wouldn't have made it. She was yelling for help and then those guys came and tried to help,' said Helbermin. The family almost lost their lives tubing down the Arkansas River at a popular water park in Pueblo. 'Nobody should be in the water today, especially with the flows that we have today,' said Tim Trujillo, Public Information Officer with the Pueblo Fire Department. As the family made their way down a steep drop, their tube flipped and they went under, and the only one wearing a life jacket was a little boy. 'They were rescued by a bystander here on the river, they refused care, but it all goes back to understanding what's going on. Thankfully, there was someone here who had some experience in the water and was able to get in there and get them out,' said Trujillo. The park is a popular spot for various water activities, but it can be extremely dangerous with high tides and fast currents. 'The little boy had a hard time even breathing and so did the father, my thought is if you're going down there you need to have protection,' said Helbermin. The Pueblo Fire Department said the park is designed to spin you out of the current using large boulders to help separate the fast speeds. 'Everything here is engineered to kind of kick you out of that main wave, even to the outside, where this softer, slower water will bring you back up to where you started,' said Trujillo. However, if you find yourself in a dangerous situation, the fire department said it's key not to panic. The cold shock when you fall or dive into the water can cause your muscles to cramp, making it difficult to swim. 'To us, that's the most important part is being prepared. This water's really cold, especially when you get it in your mouth and in your lungs, that shock effect locks us up a little bit,' said Trujilo. The Edge in Pueblo offers life jackets for anyone interested in participating in water activities. Colorado law and Pueblo municipal code requires life jackets for all water activities, and you should always check water levels and speeds before making the trip. For more water safety tips click the link above. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
4 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Activities limited on Clear Creek west of Denver due to dangerous conditions, officials say
Some activities on Clear Creek, a popular waterway west of Denver, have been curtailed due to high water levels and other dangerous conditions, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said on Monday. The restrictions went into effect at noon and limit swimming, body surfing, rafting, tubing, and the use of belly boats. Some watercraft are exempt, including kayaks, whitewater canoes, multi-chambered professionally guided rafts, and river boards, but people are encouraged to "observe extreme caution due to the safety concerns surrounding swift moving water and floating debris," the sheriff's office said. People cool off from the summer heat while tubing Clear Creek on Aug. 10, 2021 in Golden, Colorado. RJ Sangosti//The Denver Post via Getty Images The restrictions extend from the western boundary of unincorporated Jefferson County, near Clear Creek Canyon Park, through the east side of the city of Golden, including Vancouver Park, and the restrictions will remain in effect until water levels go down, officials said. The sheriff's office cited water temperature, blasted rock, undercut rocks, potential strainers, and other safety considerations, as water height and flows continue to rise amid snow melt. Violators might be fined up to $100, the sheriff's office said. Anyone partaking in the exempted activities are required to wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved flotation devices and helmets.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
Snowflex Hill brings winter activities into summer at Sleepy Hollow
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Sleepy Hollow Snowflex Hill brings winter fun into the summer, and people are already racing for the slopes. The project was started in 2022 and is part of Polk County Conservation's efforts to bring year-round activities to the park. The hill has many perks, including the ability to entertain large parties, a moving walkway, and it isn't cold. 'One of the things that we really wanted was we wanted to be able to do the wintertime things in the summer, you know, make everything as accessible as we possibly can with this surface,' said Samual Lorton, Sleepy Hollow Operations Team Lead. 'This is called snow flex. It's an irrigated system. So they can come out and they can go tubing in the middle of summertime, just like it's winter.' The Snowflex Hill at Sleepy Hollow is the world's largest at over 600 feet long. Tubing is the main activity, but visitors are still able to enjoy snowboarding and skiing on certain nights of the week. VR Headset offers new way for Des Moines lifeguards to train Snowflex has been open for a few weeks and has been a hit. 'I came out here because it was my birthday and it just seemed super fun to go sledding in summer,' said Jocelyn, whose favorite part was 'Going down and like spinning around and going like three rounds because when you go down, like at the end, it sometimes takes you up on the green for airtime.' Sleepy Hollow says the hill is fully accessible, so anyone can enjoy it. 'We'll see kids, you know, kids four or five years old coming out here and enjoying it all the way up to. We have a lot of grandmas and grandpas that bring out their grandkids, and grandma and grandpa can go tubing,' said Lorton. 'We always like to say the joke that as long as gravity works, you're fine.' The park is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m., with extended hours till 10 p.m. on Saturday. Specialty hours for snowboarders and skiers are Wednesday from 8 to 10 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
As tubers flock to Colorado rivers, rescue crews urge safety and awareness
DENVER (KDVR) — As the weather starts to heat up, many around the state look to cool off by floating down a river in a tube. While it can be a fun time, rescue crews encourage people to enjoy the water safely. Rockies set several more unwanted records on Saturday Lt. Doug Picone at West Metro Fire Rescue said during the summer months, his team responds to water rescue calls about two or three times a week, but also said they're a daily occurrence around the metro area as a whole. 'Each and every day it's getting more and more busy,' said Picone. 'Every time we go by the river, we see more and more people out.' As the weather continues to heat up and more people flock to rivers like Clear Creek in Golden, the chance for rescues grows. 'It's more and more dangerous as the weather gets nicer and we just have not hit that peak sunshine yet,' said Picone. The sunshine plays a big factor. While tubers took to a relatively slow-moving river on Saturday, it could look entirely different in a few weeks. 'We haven't had that increase in temperature to melt the snowmelt to bring the really rapid waters down,' he said. He encourages people to keep an eye on water speeds, which can change from safe to dangerous quickly. They underestimate the water's ability to swiftly take you away,' said Picone. He also stresses being aware of the water temperature, because it comes from snow melt, it's a near certainty that the water will be cold, and prolonged exposure can lead to his team being called. 'That water can definitely bring your body temperature down, create hypothermia,' said Picone. If you do go out, Picone said it's best to do it sober. 'Drugs and alcohol and water and tubing can be a very poor mix,' he said. 2 separate crashes occur in same vicinity of I-70 on Saturday afternoon No matter what time of the summer you decide to hit the river, your best practice is simply to be aware. 'Be prepared because it can overwhelm you,' he said. 'Know what you're getting into.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
