MORGAN CO. – Two first-time kayakers were rescued from the White River in Morgan County early Thursday morning after reporting themselves missing and separated. Multiple agencies responded around 1:21 a.m. to the Henderson Ford public access site on the White River to begin the search for the individuals who were reportedly separated from each other.
According to the Martinsville Fire Department (MFD), one of the kayakers successfully contacted Morgan County Public Safety Dispatch to report their situation and request assistance. Dispatch utilized Rapid Deploy to determine a GPS location, which was immediately shared with responding apparatus’s computers.
Upon arrival, contact was made with the second kayaker via cellphone, who stated she was safe, out of the water, and on a sandbar downriver from the ramp. Due to impending weather, the decision was made to deploy two boats to retrieve both kayakers and their equipment. Both kayakers were safely returned to the ramp within an hour.
Upon returning to the ramp, both kayakers admitted they did not have Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) and that it was their first time kayaking on the White River.
The MFD took the opportunity to emphasize water safety. “Although paddling is enjoyed safely by thousands each year, water trails still present dangers that can result in injury or death,” the MFD stated. They added a critical reminder: “Drowning is the leading cause of death in paddling accidents”. The department urged potential paddlers to have a plan before embarking and directed them to the IDNR website for more information on water trails, paddling, and safety.
Assisting agencies in the rescue included Morgan County EMS, Paragon Volunteer Fire Company, Green Township Fire Rescue, Brown Twp Fire-Rescue, Morgan County Public Safety Dispatch, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Police, and IDNR Conservation Officers.
