Montgomery County Fire/Rescue and U.S. Park Police were called into action Saturday afternoon to make a dramatic rescue of a boater on the Potomac River.
Authorities say the boater's craft had overturned prior to the whitewater section of the river, leaving him stranded on a rock. A Park Police Aviation Unit was called to the scene and saw the man standing on a rock. According to authorities, a rescue by boat would have proved difficult due to the nearby whitewater, as well as the presence of various shallow rocks.
Park Police and Montgomery County officers decided to hoist the victim, whose identity has not been revealed, to safety. This was accomplished using a hoist cable and so-called rescue strop. Sgt. Rescue Technician Eric Haapapuro was lowered to the victim. After examining him and finding him unharmed, Haapapuro and the victim were raised back into the helicopter and flown to a nearby golf course, where the victim was assessed by Montgomery County EMTs. He refused to be taken to a hospital.
