Rescuers called to Three Creeks Conservation Area for swift-water rescue

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article has been corrected to reflect victim information.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two people clinging to a tree were pulled from a creek at Three Creeks Conservation Area on Thursday afternoon.

The two adult women needed rescue after their horse was swept up while trying to cross floodwaters, a Southern Boone Fire Protection District spokesperson said.

Officials say a group was trying to walk along a trail at the conservation area when two women and a horse were swept into a creek. The victims were part of a large party of horse riders, Battalion Chief Timothy Bullard said. Once the two went into the water the other party members alerted authorities, he said.

The two women had to be rescued separately and a horse remained in the water after they were rescued, Bullard said. A University of Missouri equine specialist was called to the scene to help. Officials were able to pull the horse out before 6:30 p.m.

Officials believe the group tried crossing over what they thought was shallow water when the girls and horse were pulled in.

It wasn't clear how they ended up in the water. The girls did not require medical treatment.

Turkey Creek and Bonne Femme Creek meet near the rescue area and heavy rains can make that part of the park difficult to navigate for rescuers.

“In weather like this, I’ve been down here this past week with the flood waters it is treacherous, it is swift and it is easy to lose sight of what is safe and what isn’t," Bullard said.

Bullard added the terrain made using boats difficult. Rescuers used a rope and flotation device to get the girls back on land. Getting the girls out turned out to be the easy part. However, getting the horse out of the water threw some unique challenges rescuers way.

“Horses are very powerful creatures. I always say they’re one of the best athletes in the world, so you have to be aware of where their legs are at all times,” Kelly Gravit, of MU VHC Equine Ambulatory Service, said. "We are dealing with animals that are a thousand pounds. They’re a much different beast than what a lot of people think of so we might have to facilitate sedation or some anesthesia if needed to get horses out of sticky situations. In this situation, it wasn’t needed."

Getting the horse out of the water took members of Southern Boone County Fire, Boone County Fire, Columbia Fire, Large Animal Response and several veterinarians from MU Equine Services several hours.

“We were joking we were probably on plan J by the time it worked," Boone County Fire Cheif Scott Olson said. "It was a matter of doing a variety of really small rescue maneuvers to try and free the legs and then ultimately use some equipment we bring on the Large Animal Rescue trailer to facilitate moving the animal backward and then away from the tree and up onto the shore."

Heavy rain inundated Mid-Missouri for two days, with more than 6 inches recorded at Columbia's Sanborn Field. Rain chances remain for parts of Mid-Missouri into Thursday night and a flood watch was in effect for most of the area.

Rivers and creeks through Mid-Missouri remained swollen Thursday afternoon. In Fulton, floodwater covered parts of Memorial Park, forcing the city to change its Independence Day parade route .

A woman was presumed dead after her vehicle was caught in floodwaters on Gillespie Bridge Road west of Columbia on Wednesday.

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