Woman drowns after canoe hits fallen tree, sinks in Upstate NY river
Apr. 27, 2023, 3:32 p.m.
By Samantha House | shouse@syracuse.com
Big Flats, N.Y. — Two women were boating down an Upstate New York river on Earth Day when the canoe they were in hit a fallen tree, troopers said. One of the women escaped the capsizing canoe and swam to shore, troopers said. The other women became trapped under the sinking boat, troopers said, and could not break free.Susanna Garber was later found dead under the canoe in the Chemung River in the Southern Tier by a swift water rescue crew, the New York State Police said this week in a news release. The 22-year-old Prattsburg woman drowned.
The drowning happened around 5 p.m. Saturday in Chemung River near Maricle Lane in Big Flats, a town about 7 miles east of Corning. Susanna Garber had been traveling down the river with a group of kayakers and canoers when the accident happened, troopers said. The woman she was in the canoe with — Rebecca J. Garber, 21, of Prattsburg — survived, troopers said. Both women were wearing life jackets, troopers said.
Swift water rescue teams from the Wellsburg Fire Department and Southport Fire Department worked to dislodge the canoe from the fallen tree. After freeing the boat, firefighters found Susanna Garber’s body under the canoe, troopers said. In addition to state police and the swift water rescue teams, members of the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office, the West Elmira Police Department and fire departments from West Elmira, Golden Glow and Big Flats responded to the scene.
Woman dead after drowning in the Chemung River
by: Gillian Friebis
WEYM Syracuse, NY
Posted: Apr 23, 2023
BIG FLATS, N.Y. (WETM-Syracuse) — One woman has drowned in the Chemung River after a canoe capsized. A 22-year-old woman from Prattsburgh, N.Y. died after becoming trapped under a canoe that was stuck to a downed tree. The woman was traveling with a group of young adults in canoes and kayaks when the canoe she was riding in with another young woman hit a tree and capsized. The other woman was able to free herself and swim to shore. Both women were wearing lifejackets.
Emergency crews called for person trapped in Chemung River
State Troopers were called to the scene off Miracle Lane in Big Flats around 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 22. Troopers were unable to reach the stuck canoe due to its distance from the shoreline and the river conditions. Swift Water Rescue Teams from the Wellsburg and Southport Fire Departments were eventually able to dislodge the canoe from the tree and recover the victim.
The names of the victim and the other parties present have not been released at this time. The Chemung County Sheriff’s Office, West Elmira Police Department, and the West Elmira, Golden Glow, and Big Flats Fire Departments assisted at the scene.
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Woman Drowns in Chemung River After Canoe Capsizes
Monday, April 24th 2023
By Renata Stiehl, AP
BIG FLATS, NY (WENY) -- New York State Police say a 22-year-old woman from Prattsburgh died Saturday, after the canoe she was in capsized in the Chemung river.
Emergency crews responded to a call for a capsized canoe with a possible drowning victim in the area of Miracle Lane in Big Flats around 5:00PM Saturday evening. Police say the canoe, which was carrying two women, had hit a downed tree and overturned in the water. Both women were wearing life vests; one was able to free herself and get to shore, but the other had become trapped under the canoe.
State police say due to the canoe's location in the water and the river conditions, they were unable to reach it. Swift Water Rescue crews from the Wellsburg and Southport Fire Departments responded, and were able to dislodge the canoe and recover the victim, who had passed away.
According to NYSP, the pair in the canoe was with a group of young adults traveling down the Chemung River in kayaks and canoes. Weather conditions Saturday afternoon included rain showers, which were heavy at times.
Emergency responders with the Chemung County Sheriff's Office, West Elmira Police Department, and fire departments with West Elmira, Golden Glow, and Big Flats also assisted at the scene.
