Canadian Couple Rescued After Harrowing Experience at Rio on Pools

Yesterday, we told you about the harrowing experience two Canadian nationals found themselves in this weekend in the Cayo District. Well, tonight, we hear from Evan Anderson and Laine Hoogstraten, the couple whose fun afternoon at the Rio on Pools turned into a rescue mission. The duo, who have lived in Belize since 2010, spoke to Love News about the moment they became stuck between violent rapids and the forces of Mother Nature that transformed their relaxation time into hours of peril.

Evan Anderson, Rescued from Rapids: “We felt like it was a beautiful day and that we chose the right day and time to go down there. It was sunny and beautiful. We enjoyed the water. We were enjoying the sun and there was children swimming in the river. After enjoying there for a while, we went down the river. And then at that point Laine says to me, do you hear the water?”

Laine Hoogstraten, Rescued from Rapids: “I just kind of look over and notice that the water seems suddenly very more turbulent. And between the moment that I noticed it and the force of the flash flood was no time at all. We were able to leap from where we were about six feet forward onto the tiny rock that we spent the next five or six, five hours or more on a rock that was about two by two square feet. And we just clung tight to each other.”

Evan Anderson, Rescued from Rapids: “That was the moment, you know, that our cooler that had been on the shore came floating by us, that we realized that we were in a real predicament and we would not be making it to shore.”

Laine Hoogstraten, Rescued from Rapids: “Yeah, it was, yeah, when we saw our cooler go by, we were like, okay this is really serious. This is no joke. I mean, Ultimately, as soon as we realized how much trouble we were in we began to pray and just hold on to each other.”

Stranded on a rock, they faced the tough decision of whether to attempt swimming to shore or wait for help. The couple spoke about the hours of waiting for rescue and their final minutes in the water.

Laine Hoogstraten, Rescued from Rapids: “Just watching the rescue team make it to our area was very intense. We were really holding on for them.”

Evan Anderson, Rescued from Rapids: “Yeah, it was unbelievable.”

Laine Hoogstraten, Rescued from Rapids: “The system of ropes, the way that the pulleys were working, the number of guys that were involved.”

Evan Anderson, Rescued from Rapids: “The speed at which it was happening.”

Laine Hoogstraten, Rescued from Rapids: “Yeah, they really planned. You could tell like everything was like completely being done perfectly. The first people to reach us were Mr. Peter Friesen and Mr. Wendy Garcia and initially they were able to arrive on a rock that was about 10 or 15 feet away from us. The water had so much force that it was impossible for us to even jump like six feet to another rock. Totally impossible. So, when they did reach over to us they basically got us off the rock that we were on basically with their own bodies. I believe that was Peter Friesen. And….”

Evan Anderson, Rescued from Rapids: “They were able to pass us from the one rock we were on to the other one and then put us on the kayaks, which were carried by the ropes, you know, after making…. they did a trial to see how it would go and how we would reach the shore and then, you know, it was just we had seen them do it, so we knew how it was to be done. And we just did it exactly how they did it, the rescuers, and then once we reached the shore, you know, we were just it was over, yeah. for us.”

Laine Hoogstraten, Rescued from Rapids: “But the team still had to, you know, come back in and gather up their equipment and make sure everyone was secure there.”

The couple expressed gratitude to everyone that played a role in their rescue.