BOSTON (WHDH) - Boston police on Tuesday recounted a daring rescue late last week when crews saved two people kayaking in Boston Harbor near what’s left of the Long Island Bridge.
The rescue happened on Friday. Speaking with reporters, Officer Stephanie McGrath said crews used spotlights from their boat to locate the kayakers.
“One was still on his kayak but it was taking on water,” McGrath said.
McGrath said the kayak was “maybe half full with water.”
The other kayaker, McGrath said, had fallen into the water and was clinging to a bridge stanchion.
“His kayak had capsized,” McGrath said. “He told us he had been in the water for almost 30 minutes and he was cramping up.”
Both kayakers were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
In their news conference on Tuesday, members of the Boston Police Department’s Harbor Division said the kayakers were in a potentially dangerous place on the water.
The channel where the kayakers were located, officials said, is a through-way for large ships whose wakes would be hazardous to lake-style kayaks.
“That area itself isn’t great for kayaking because there’s large commuter ferries and personal rec boats that go through there,” McGrath said. “That’s what happened that day. They got knocked over by the wakes of boats going through the channel.”
After they were safely out of the water, officials said, the kayakers thanked their rescuers.
“They just kept saying ‘Thank you,’” McGrath said. “They were apologizing for being out there and they were just so happy to finally get back to shore.”
Boston police had a message for other kayakers on Tuesday, saying the channel where this rescue happened should be avoided at all times, especially at night.
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