Search on for missing woman

Rangers are searching for a woman who was seen falling from a bridge in Glacier National Park early Friday.

According to a witness, a woman in her mid-60s fell from a wooden footbridge with a single handrail below Virginia Falls on the park’s east side shortly after 1 p.m. Friday and was swept downstream in Virginia Creek, at which point the witness lost sight of her.

The woman had been hiking with one other family member.

With nearly two inches of rain over the past few days, the creek is running high and swift.

About 20 National Park Service staff responded to the scene, and the park has requested assistance from Flathead County Search and Rescue, Flathead County Dive Team and search dogs and Minuteman Aviation.

Park personnel have been searching both banks of Virginia Creek.

A helicopter crew conducted an aerial search but due to the swift water was not able to see into the pools on the creek. The Flathead County Dive Team assessed the area Friday night and plans to dive this morning in the area where the woman was last seen.

Glacier National Park rangers searched until sundown Friday, with plans to resume the search today.

Virginia Falls is located about a half-mile west of the head of St. Mary Lake.

No other details were available at press time.