On Monday at approximately 9:45 p.m., the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office
received a report of two stranded canoeists on the Kansas River east of the
Belvue Boat Ramp.
The two individuals had been attempting to make it back
to the Belvue boat ramp but were unable to because of the hazardous
conditions of the river. The Sheriff’s Office along with Belvue Fire,
Wamego City Fire, Louisville Fire, Wamego EMS, Kansas Department of
Wildlife and Parks, St. Mary’s Police Department and Pottawatomie County
Emergency Management converged on the area in a rescue effort.
The stranded individuals were eventually located by personnel down stream towards
the east. Manhattan Fire Department’s Water Rescue (swift water rescue)
was called in to assist and took the Sheriff’s Office Rescue Boat to go out on the
water. The two stranded individuals were located by the rescue boat and brought back to the boat ramp
where they were treated by Pottawatomie County EMS for signs of hypothermia and were released.
This is the second rescue in two weeks on the Kansas River involving these as well as other agencies in Pottawatomie County.
The other rescue also occurred late evening / night time occurring on May 16th, East of the boat ramp, St.George. The Sheriff Office urges those persons using the Kansas River for recreational purposes to take into consideration the weather and river conditions.
Both of these rescues involved rain, lightning and high water with debris floating in the river, making for hazardous condition for the rescuers.
