Rescue Team Pulls Stranded Swimmer From Arkansas River

A Tulsa man was pulled from the Arkansas River in Tulsa early Wednesday after trying to swim across the river and getting stranded and was stranded at the low-water dam.<br/>

Wednesday, August 13th 2014, 8:52 am

By: Dave Davis

Rescue Team Pulls Stranded Swimmer From Arkansas River

A Tulsa man was pulled from the Arkansas River in Tulsa early Wednesday after trying to swim across the river and getting stranded.

The man was stuck on the low-water dam, under the pedestrian bridge.

News On 6 has covered stories of people drowning here in the past, but fortunately the swimmer survived with the help of the Tulsa Fire Rescue task force.

The rescue team, along with Tulsa police and EMSA, all responded to a 911 call around 3:15 a.m. The man said he tried to swim across, but didn't make it.

With the help of three TFD rescue boats, they were able to save him.

8/1/2014 Related Story: Arkansas River's Low-Water Dam 'A Drowning Machine'

But last August, three men weren't so lucky.

You may remember three welding school students drowned here at nearly the same spot. At the time, rescue crews the water flowing over the low water dam likely had sucked them under with the force of an EF1 tornado.

Wednesday's incident was not much safer for rescue crews either.

One of the Tulsa fire rescue boats got stuck on a sandbar for a while, but eventually was able to get free and save the stranded man.

Police gave him two tickets, but didn't arrest him.