Image: Tyler Ingram

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Vedder River rescue

Two girls rescued in Chilliwack’s Vedder River Sunday after nearly getting swept away

Aug 11, 2025 | 7:41 AM

CHILLIWACK — Two girls believed to be under the age of 12 years old were swept away by strong currents in the Vedder River in Chilliwack Sunday afternoon, only to be rescued by several bystanders in the immediate vicinity.

Chilliwack-area resident Tyler Ingram says he was floating down the river with his two sons Sunday afternoon (Aug. 10) in the Yarrow area when the harrowing incident occurred. Two girls had been playing in the water close to an area called “Fisherman’s Corner” before getting swept away.

“My oldest son said he saw the kids playing up to about their waist in the water, and he thought that was kind of dangerous in that corner,” Ingram told Fraser Valley Today. “The first one to get swept away got caught in a logjam.”

Ingram says he immediately jumped into the water and told his youngest son to clear everything off his inner tube so that it could be utilized to assist in the water rescue.

Rescuers were able to get one girl onto a log near the shore of the Vedder River while by-standers worked to assist the other girl. All told, an estimated five people jumped in to intervene, including a couple from Yarrow, Ingram and his nearly 16-year-old son, and a man in his 20s from White Rock.

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“The other girl was up a little higher up, she managed to grab on to an overhanging branch,” Ingram said. “We got her on the tube. There was no way we could swim across the current.”

“Fortunately we were within striking distance to help these two girls out,” Ingram said. “They both did a fantastic job of trying to help themselves despite the strength of the water pushing them.”

One of the people instrumental in the rescue, Jane-Ellen Wiens, acknowledged Ingram on Facebook for his and his son’s rescue efforts.

“Thanks for your help today. Glad we were able to help the children to safety and they were OK,” Wiens said.

Similarly, Ingram thanked Wiens for being in the right place at the right time.

“I’m so glad you and your husband were there. It was a relief to work alongside people who stayed calm and acted quickly,” Ingram said of Wiens and her husband.

Ingram said the incident underscores the importance of water safety.

“This is a reminder that even calm-looking water can be dangerous,” he wrote on Facebook. “The currents in the Vedder can change quickly and pull you off your feet in seconds. Please keep a close eye on children, stay within arm’s reach, and respect the river’s power. Let’s keep everyone safe this summer.”