Officials are warning the public against ignoring weather conditions after 11 people were thrown from their canoes and left stranded for two hours in a Maine river on Monday afternoon.
The group, which Fryeburg Fire Chief Andrew Dufresne described as inexperienced, was in distress after their boats were swamped due to high river conditions, according to a statement from the Fryeburg Fire Department.
Fryeburg Fire, Fryeburg Rescue, and Fryeburg Police responded to the scene and found many members of the group still clinging to debris in the water. All 11 people were rescued and were unharmed.
The portion of the river is one of the more remote sections, with limited access, fire officials said. And the river conditions were particularly treacherous given all of this week's rain, causing significant current and substantial debris.
"This incident could have had a very different outcome," Fryeburg fire said in its statement. "We remind everyone that the river remains high, please check conditions prior to departing on your trip, life jackets save lives."
