Kayaker Who Died After Potomac River Rescue Identified As VA Man

A 22-year-old Lynchburg man was taken to Inova Fairfax Hospital after a rescue attempt and was pronounced dead.

By Michael O'Connell, Patch Staff

May 6, 2026 1:15 pm EDT

Emergency rescue personnel from both Fairfax County and Montgomery County, Maryland responded Sunday afternoon for the report of three kayakers in distress in the Potomac River near Great Falls. (MCFRS)

GREAT FALLS, VA — A 22-year-old Virginia man died after a kayaking incident Sunday afternoon on the Potomac River near Great Falls, according to Maryland Natural Resources Police.

Officers responded around 2:45 p.m. to the river for a reported drowning involving a kayaker while CPR was in progress. When officers arrived, they determined that three adult male kayakers had been navigating stretches of rapids when one of them, William Caulfield Lankford of Lynchburg, became separated from the group.

According to Maryland Natural Resources Police, the other two kayakers went back upriver after realizing Lankford was missing and found him struggling in the rapids. Police said the two men freed Lankford and brought him to shore. They began CPR before emergency responders arrived.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue personnel then took over life-saving efforts, according to the release. Lankford was transported to Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, where he was pronounced dead.

Maryland Natural Resources Police is leading the investigation into the death, which remains ongoing. An autopsy is to be conducted at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia in Manassas, according to the release.

The agency also issued several water safety reminders for people paddling in whitewater conditions. Maryland Natural Resources Police said paddlers should prepare with safety equipment including a life jacket, helmet, throw rope and emergency communication devices.

The agency said whitewater conditions should not be approached alone and that groups should establish stopping points to check on everyone involved. On the Potomac River, conditions can change quickly because of rainfall, according to the release, and paddlers should check water levels and weather forecasts before launching.

Maryland Natural Resources Police also said people on the river should watch for submerged rocks, strong currents and other river features. The agency said knowledge of rescue techniques or CPR can be critical in an emergency and that at least one member of a group should have those skills.

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