Pair cling to tree near waterfall as boat swept away in raging river, rescuers say
Two boaters were rescued from a treacherous predicament on a raging river in Maryland, officials said.
Rescuers found the pair clinging to a tree in the middle of the Potomac River on Saturday, May 17, Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service spokesperson Pete Piringer said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“ICYMI — Two people were found clinging to a tree in the middle of the Potomac River, near the edge of a waterfall, after being separated from their small boat,” he said in a May 19 post on X.
In previous X posts, Piringer described how heavy rain had raised water levels and created “treacherous” currents and conditions on the river.
“Potomac River water levels are high & currents are strong — earlier 2 people were somehow separated from the ‘john’ boat, both were able to cling to a tree in the middle of the river & the two were rescued by @mcfrs swift water rescue teams,” he said, adding that the boat had been swept downstream in the ordeal.
It happened on a section of the river near Riley’s Lock, one of 74 lift locks “put into place to help boats overcome the 605-foot elevation change between Georgetown and Cumberland,” the National Park Service said on its website.
The department’s rescue boat picked them up and took them to an emergency response staging area for evaluation, Piringer said in another post on X.
“WHY are people going in these waters after torrential rains????” someone asked in a comment on the post. “They are also putting the first responders in danger.”
This story was originally published May 21, 2025 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Pair cling to tree near waterfall as boat swept away in raging river, rescuers say."
