DEERPARK – National Park
Service and state DEC forest rangers rescued 11 people in three separate
incidents on the Delaware River on Saturday August 4.
Rangers from both agencies were in a jet boat on the river when a group
of rafters notified them that two people were calling for help.
The rangers found a 62-year-old woman from Lee Center in the water with
her foot stuck in an obstruction and her head just above water. The woman’s
64-year-old friend was also struggling in a raft nearby.
Due to heavy rains, the river level was high and the water was flowing
fast.
State Forest Ranger Richard Franke entered the water wearing his personal
flotation device with a line attached.
He freed the woman’s foot and assisted her into the raft. A rope
was attached to the raft and both women were brought onboard the NPS boat.
A second raft with seven people was caught in the same currents. Ranger
Franke tied the raft to a tree and assisted each person, one by one, onto
the NPS board.
Later on the same day, a third party with two people also capsized their
raft upstream and they were swept into the water.
The rangers rescued that pair.
