Posted by Franklin County SAR
Today your FCSAR team was dispatched to the Mulberry River for a technical rescue.
A persons legs were pinned under his canoe with the craft pinned in a slot section of the river.
Using water rescue skills and support from Game and Fish, USFS Law Enforcement, the FC Sheriff’s office, FCEMS, and some local community members, he was rescued with only minor injuries. He was taken to the hospital for hypothermia and medical observation. Outstanding work by all involved!!!
DARING RIVER RESCUE: The Franklin County SAR along with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Arkansas successfully rescued a person on a solo canoe trip out of Mulberry River. He tells rescuers his canoe hit the rock sideways, collapsed, leaving his legs trapped inside the canoe. He was trapped for 4 hours on Sunday but was able to keep his head above water and was able to contact 911 on his cellphone with satellite capability. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, EMS, Franklin County Emergency Management (AR), and local volunteers helped in the rescue.
David Swanson Says:Looks like this was on the mulberry just below the mouth of Hurricane creek, near Wrecking Rock. Judging by the pictures the victim was in an older orange Buffalo canoe that really wasn’t too worse for wear after the extraction. This is a section that is done basically every year at the school of whitewater paddling, and conditions would have been considered low but floatable yesterday.