Massive strainer; rec-style kayak; fast current. Very dangerous!!
Rescue by ladder truck and boat.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_JN1r-K2ck
Crews rescue stranded kayaker
from river in Gaston County
Wednesday, April 25th 2018
By WBTV Web Staff
BELMONT, NC (WBTV) - Crews rescued a man from the Catawba River in Gaston County after he got stuck on a pile of debris Wednesday afternoon.
The rescue took place along the South Fork of the Catawba River in Belmont near Armstrong Ford Road. Officials say the kayaker was pushed up against the dam as a result of the fast moving water from heavy rain.
Bystander Marcus Reid heard the man yelling for help. "He was real loud and he was panicking," said Reid.
Retrieving the kayaker from the rushing water took efforts from multiple agencies. A representative from the Charlotte Fire Department told WBTV the whole process took about an hour and half. Crews did not want to use the ladder to rescue the man due to the angle of the ladder and the rushing water.
"With water running that fast, it's just a dangerous situation," said Rob Cannon, a battalion chief with the CFD .
Firefighters used a boat to drift down to the man and retrieve him from the debris that collected in the river.
The kayaker was taken to the hospital to get checked out after being rescued, however he was not injured.
WBTV's Sky 3 flew over the area and captured footage of the rescue taking place. A broken yellow kayak could be seen stuck in a pile of debris in the river and a man could be seen nearby with his head just above the water.
According to the Belmont Police Department, all traffic was stopped on Armstrong Ford Road at the bridge as the water rescue was underway.
Belmont Police@BelmontNCPolice
Traffic Alert!
All traffic has been stopped on Armstrong Ford Road at the bridge as a water rescue is underway.
5:03 PM - Apr 25, 2018
Cannon warned residents to use their best judgement when attempting to go out in the river and ensure that you have the proper training and expertise to avoid a similar incident.
"The best situation is just to to stay out of fast-moving water," Cannon said.
Copyright 2018 WBTV. All rights reserved.
Kayaker rescued from swollen Charlotte area river
BY JOE MARUSAK
jmarusak@charlotteobserver.com
April 25, 2018 05:15 PM
Charlotte firefighters helped rescue a kayaker who became stranded in debris on the South Fork of the Catawba River on Wednesday afternoon.
A fire ladder was used to reach the kayaker, who became trapped in debris at about 4 p.m. The rescue, in Belmont in Gaston County, took about 2 hours.
Molly Grantham WBTV
✔@MollyGrantham
You guys watching this? Kayaker stranded and big rescue underway in Belmont. His head is directly above the word “rescues” in this picture. @WBTV_News is live now.
4:37 PM - Apr 25, 2018
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