Hanover Police say two kayakers were rescued from the Saugeen River after being overturned.
Police say on April 20 around 12:30 p.m., officers, the Hanover Fire Department and Grey County Paramedics responded to an emergency 911 call by kayakers who overturned in the fast flowing water.
An investigation into the incident found four men from Milton and Waterdown in their 20s and 30s had planned on kayaking and camping for several days along the Saugeen River to Southampton. The men entered the water with their kayaks, life jackets and proper gear at the boat launch area at the Hanover Park on 7th Avenue.
Shortly after setting out, police say two of the four men overturned their kayaks and were separated due to the strong current and ended up downstream.
Using drones and a rescue boat, the fire department found the overturned kayakers about 700 meters from where they started and were suffering from early stages of hypothermia and were disoriented.
Police say the firefighters were able to return them to safety and were transported to the Hanover and District Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
The fire department then went further downstream and retrieved the two other kayakers and brought them to their starting point.
“Thankfully, these kayakers were properly dressed, wearing life jackets and had cellular phones with them that quite likely saved their lives,” says Hanover Police. “This time of year, waterways are high, the current is exceptionally strong, the water is fast flowing and very cold. People should think twice before entering the water as the conditions are unpredictable around every turn, with shifting debris that is often just below the surface.”