I once rowed in a four, and our feet were laced into foot holders. I haven't been around the rowing fraternity for a while and so don't know what they use today, but it might be possible that this lass was too securely laced in and so couldn't untie her laces. She may have panicked and so drowned, but generally, if you remain calm, even with empty lungs you can last a while, enough to get out anyway. Let's hope she recovers fully.
JohnK

: Safety issue: Tethers

: Although I was not on the water for few years now,
: I still follow the sea kayaking community,
: and wait for the moment I will return to the water.

: The details on this description are based on what was published
: on local media, and on my knowledge of the area.

: It is not meant to be a drama story and it is not meant
: to build the tension to keep you reading all the way to the end,
: so I will tell the end right now: For few days it was a tragedy, the victim
: was taken to the hospital,
: unconscious.
: On Thursday, 7th of MAY 2009 , 4 days after the incident,
: it was published that she regained consciousness and communicates
: with people around her (I must insert a personal remark here,
: I am so happy) .

: The incident took place on Monday 4th of MAY 2009
: in the "Yarkon" river in Tel-Aviv - Israel.

: The victim is a young woman, in her early 20's ,
: her name is Yasmin Feingold (published on local media)
: and she is the national academic rowing champion.
: she was rowing a single seat competition rowing boat.
: I myself am a sea kayaker, so I am not familiar with the terms
: describing these boats, but it's the type of boat being rowed
: with the back of the rower facing the direction of movement,
: and the seat is sliding back and forth.

: Well, I didn't know it until this incident, but it turns out that
: the rower's feet are tied to an anchor point on the boat.

: For reasons that had not been published, or unknown, she capsized.
: The river is quiet, flat, there are no waves and no turbulences,
: and there is no risk of hypothermia.
: The river is narrow enough for an average swimmer to cross it.
: It is assumed that the rower failed to release herself from the boat,
: and drowned.

: People walking on the riverbank saw her capsizing and when she failed
: to surface, they realized she drowned.
: For reasons known only to these people, they did not jump to the water
: to help her, however they did called an ambulance.

: After precious moments another person who passed by got it from
: the other people that under the capsized boat is a drowned rower,
: he did jump to the water and got to the boat but could not untie
: the rower from the boat, so he dragged the rower with the boat
: to the riverbank where the rower was separated from the boat.
: She had no pulse and no breathing.
: It was published that reviving actions succeeded and she was evacuated
: to hospital by ambulance, unconscious .
: It was also published that after 4 days she regained consciousness.

: That's all.
: learn.

: Erez