Kayaker Rescued From The Delaware By New Hope-Lambertville Responders

LAMBERTVILLE, NJ — A kayaker thrown from her boat was rescued from the frigid Delaware River earlier this week in the area of the wing dam.

Emergency responders from the West Amwell Fire Company in New Jersey, the New Hope Eagle Fire Company and the Lambertville-New Hope Ambulance and Rescue Squad responded to the wing dam at about 3:30 p.m. on March 21 for the report of two kayakers out of their boats and in distress.

Lambertville-New Hope's Marine 17 responded with a pilot and two rescue swimmers. They entered the river at the Lambertville Boat Launch and headed down river to about a mile south of the wing dam where they found one of the victims hanging onto her kayak and suffering from hypothermia. The other victim had already made it to shore, first responders said.

The victim was pulled into Marine 17 by two rescue swimmers and transported to Firemen's Launch where she was treated by first responders.

Chief 26 had command and added an ALS unit and Union Fire Company & Rescue Squad due to the river’s temperature and flow.

This was the first marine rescue of the year and the first rescue for Lambertville-New Hope Ambulance/Rescue Squads Marine 17.

A rapid response and the victim wearing a life vest played a big part in the victim being saved.

With the spring and summer river season coming, emergency responders urge anyone venturing into the river to wear a life vest and be aware of what's downstream.

'The two victims went through the falls with the river being high and fast moving after being thrown from their kayaks," said firefighters.