HEALDSBURG (KRON) — One woman died after canoeing with friends along the Russian River near Healdsburg Friday afternoon, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s office.
Sheriff deputies said the three friends went out to the river and went canoeing when one of their canoes overturned. Two of the people made it to shore, but they could not locate their friend a woman in her 60’s.
At about 12:35 p.m. the friends quickly found a vineyard worker and called 911. A sheriff helicopter arrived on scene and started to search for the missing woman. Deputies from the Marine Unit along with fire personnel from Healdsburg, Geyserville and Forestville assisted with the search.
According to sheriff deputies, approximately 1:30 p.m. the rescue helicopter were able to locate the missing person in the river under some tree limbs.
The woman was airlifted from the water onto the shore, where she was pronounced deceased. Sheriff deputies said the woman was wearing a life-jacket.
The name of the woman was not immediately available.