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Young Woman Dies After Being Submerged in Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park

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A young woman from Taiwan visiting Yellowstone National Park has died from injuries sustained when she slipped into the Firehole River near Old Faithful, according to park officials.

The 22-year-old woman fell into the river Tuesday afternoon, a park release said. Lin Ching-Ling, a Taiwanese national, apparently fell into the river about 1:30 p.m. and was submerged for about five minutes before another visitor dived in and pulled her out from about 10 feet under water, the release said.

He then brought her to the water’s edge, yelled for help, and immediately began CPR.

A doctor and two nurses who happened to be in the area quickly took over CPR efforts, the release said. When park paramedics and rangers arrived, CPR was continued for about 40 minutes on-scene, when the patient regained a pulse. She was then taken by ambulance to Madison Junction where a waiting helicopter transported her to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

According to hospital officials, she was pronounced dead at 10:10 p.m. Tuesday.

Comments

there is a "tunnel". its very short maybe 1-2 feet. 25-30 inches wide im guessing. i went through it. its about 15-20 feet down from the highest part where the idiots jump from and get fined $200. 100 for climbing, 100 for jumping. i have also reached the bottom and stood there for 5 seconds! the bottom is 33 feet i was told by a diver.


Same thing happened to me.  I was young and extremely foolish back in 1973.  I joined many visitors in jumping off the cliff at the "swimming hole."  But then it rained for 4 or 5 days.  We went back and the river was so much stronger.  My friends warned me.  Like an idiot, I went ahead and body surfed through the canyon all by myself, out of view.  Whooosh!  What a blast!   But then I got pulled down right before it opened into the pool.  Struggled and struggled to get above water.  Stared at the green beam of sunlight at the end of what seemed like a whirlpool.  Finally I completely ran out of oxygen.  Accepted my fate.  Immediately was pulled straight down.  Then my right foot felt a rock ledge off to the side, so I used it to push off at an angle with all my might.  It worked!   And that's why I'm still here.  It's surprising that more people have not drowned there.  At very least, they should be told about "that spot", what can happen, and how to survive it.  

 


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