Accident Database

Report ID# 3502

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  • Caught in Low Head Dam Hydraulic
  • Near Drowning
  • Cold Water

Accident Description

He died in the hospital April 21 Updated: Southport man critical after kayak mishap Nicholas Kozemko, 24, of Southport, is in the intensive care unit at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre.

Kozemko was alone in a kayak around 4 p.m. when the craft went over a man-made dam and he was thrown into the water, according to state police at Horseheads. He got caught in turbulence under the falls and it took three nearby anglers 15 minutes to pull him free, said Sgt. Arthur Cady of the Horseheads state police barracks. Kozemko was taken to Schuyler Hospital before being transferred to Packer.

The accident happened in the Town of Veteran just south of the Schuyler County line, state police said. Man Nearly Drowns in Kayak Accident Town of Veteran, N.Y.- State Police in Horseheads say that an Elmira man is in critical condition at an area hospital after a kayaking accident on Catharine Creek.

The family of 24 year old Nicholas Kozemko helped him launch his kayak near Millport. Kosemko's kayak did a nose plant at a man made dam near the Chemung and Schuyler County line and ejected Kozemko trapping him under the small waterfall. Three fisherman that were fishing at the small dam pulled Kozemko out of the water. Kozemko was transported to Schuyler and later transferred to Robert Packer Hospital where he was listed in critical condition.

The family was waiting behind the electric substation near Montour Falls for Kozemko. When Kozemko did not arrived they called state police who informed them of the accident upstream.

Southport man hurt while kayaking

Man in critical condition after Catharine Creek incident

Apr. 18, 2011 |

Written byJeff Murray jdmurray@gannett.com

A Chemung County man was seriously injured in a kayak accident Sunday afternoon on Catharine Creek.Nicholas Kozemko, 24, of Adams Street in Southport, was alone in a kayak around 4 p.m. on Catharine Creek in the Town of Veteran, just south of the Schuyler County line, when he got into trouble, according to state police at Horseheads.Kozemko came to a dam where three anglers were fishing in a big hole when the nose of his kayak went over the 3-foot drop and he was thrown from the craft. "

When he went over, the nose of the kayak hit the water and he was ejected. He got caught under the falls in turbulence," said Sgt. Arthur Cady of the Horseheads state police barracks."There were three fishermen there. They couldn't pull him out. It took them 15 minutes to pull him out. They got the call at the 911 center at 4:11 p.m. By the time emergency crews arrived on the scene, the fishermen had him out and were already doing CRP."Kozemko was taken to Schuyler Hospital and later transferred to Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre. He was in critical condition in the hospital's intensive care unit Monday.In addition to state police, the Schuyler County Sheriff's Office, Schuyler and Erway ambulance units and Montour Falls and Millport fire departments responded to the scene.

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