Police say woman rescued from Thunder Bay, Ontario waterway

Police in Thunder Bay, Ont., pulled a woman from a river in the intercity area Monday evening.

According to a written release issued Wednesday morning, police received a 911 call around 8 p.m. Monday, about a person in the Neebing-McIntyre Floodway near the Silver City movie theatre.

Police said the 22-year-old woman "appeared to be losing control and in need of assistance," but officers were able to get a rope to her and then pulled her to safety.

The woman was taken to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre by ambulance, was medically cleared and released, police said.

'I'm just glad she was okay'

A passer-by who was walking along May Street near the river alerted police.

Nick Harmer told CBC News he quickly called 911 when he saw the woman floating on her back in the river, but with her mouth and nose above the water. Harmer, a long-time sea cadet, said jumping in, himself, may actually have put them both in danger.

Officers responded very quickly, he said, adding that police called him later to say the woman was okay and that "something like that happened to her before."

Harmer added the situation didn't seem suspicious.

Police said they are still trying to determine how the woman ended up in the water and are asking anyone who may have seen anything in the vicinity of the waterway between the CN Bridge and Silver City to contact them.

"I'm just glad she was okay," Harmer said.