B U F F A L O N E W S buffalonews.com
A kayaker who apparently fell out of his vessel in the Niagara River near Beaver Island State Park was rescued Tuesday evening after he managed to get to shore and use his cell phone to call for help, U. S. Coast Guard officials said today.
The man, whose name was not available, apparently became disoriented and didn’t know exactly where he was when he called a friend, who called 911 sometime between 5:30 and 6 p. m.
Local agencies, including workers from Beaver Island State Park and the Grand Island Fire Department, rescued the man, who suffered from hypothermia. Authorities said the water temperature in the Niagara River was in the high 40s.
“He saved himself by getting up there [on shore] and keeping his phone dry,” said Paul Angelillo, search and rescue controller for the Coast Guard. “The results could have been a lot different.”