Group of canoeists rescued from remote Maine lake
Maine Game Wardens said they rescued a group of Outward Bound canoeists Friday from a lake in northern Maine.
Around 11:30 a.m., a caller from the group was able to contact a dispatcher and said five of the nine people in their group had gone overboard in Ripogenus Lake. The wind at the time created waves 4 to 6 feet high on the lake, wardens said.
The caller said at least two canoes had overturned in the water, wardens said. The caller then lost contact with the dispatcher.
A warden was able to respond to the remote lake in Piscataquis County within 15 minutes.
Two wardens found three people near the middle of the lake, clinging to a canoe, wardens
Two other people were found on the other side of the lake, wardens said.
Four people were treated for hypothermia, wardens said.
"This trip consisted of some camping, backpacking and canoeing," wardens said in a news release. "The group said that they were using a makeshift sale on the canoes and while coming down the lake and the wind came up suddenly when the incident occurred. All of them were wearing lifejackets."
Everyone in the group was between the ages of 22 and 40, wardens said.