Non-Witness Narrative by (do not publish name) on 2009-07-24 (okay to publish): On 7/23/09 at 9:52 pm, the Franklin County E-911 center received a call stating that a canoe had capsized in the Blackwater River, near the Town of Rocky Mount water treatment plant. The location of the incident is off Shady Lane north of Rocky Mount. The caller stated that there were 2 people in the canoe and that one of the subjects was last seen in the water and was presumed to have drowned. Fire and EMS units from Franklin County Rescue Squad, Boones Mill Fire and EMS, and the Franklin County Dept. of Public Safety were dispatched to respond. The Franklin County swift-water rescue team was notified to respond as well. On arrival of the first EMS unit, providers found a male subject standing on a small concrete wall at the dam directly behind the water treatment plant. The Blackwater River was running at about 2 – 3 feet above normal, and flowing swiftly, as a result of rains received earlier in the day upstream. The male subject stated that there was a female passenger in the canoe with him when it capsized. Both subjects were swept over the dam. The male subject was swept passed the hydraulic of the dam while the female victim was caught in the hydraulic. The male subject stated that he saw the female victim briefly surface in the hydraulic and did not see her again. Two other boaters in a separate canoe ran to a nearby residence to get assistance. The male subject continued to look for the female victim. The swift-water rescue team conducted a rope rescue of the male victim from the base of the dam. A state police helicopter also responded and began an aerial search of the river downstream of the dam. Once the male victim was rescued, the swift-water rescue team conducted a search downstream of the dam to attempt to locate the female victim. The 21 year old female victim was located, floating in the water, approximately ¼ mile downstream from the dam. The cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy. There were no other injuries to any of the other subjects. No one in the group had a life jacket. This is the second fatality at this low head dam this summer. The name of the victim is being withheld pending notification of the family. The paddlers were newcomers to the sport and had limited experience on the water. The water level during the event was highly likely the highest and fastest water they had ever paddled. The event also occured after dark.