Five people were plunged into the cold water of the Susquehanna River Sunday afternoon, after their boat went over the York Haven Dam.
It happened just before 3 p.m. First responders say the boat had a motor problem and they sent out a distress call before going over. All five people, including a 13-year-old boy, went into the water. All wore life jackets. One woman was rescued by a fisherman, and one man was able to grab onto a tree in the river. Rescuers say the water is high now. “The height of it is better for them today,” says Chief Bart Shellenhamer of Londonderry Fire Dept. “Any lower and they probably would have gotten caught in the turbulence of the dams.” The others were pulled into rescue boats. Some were taken to the York County shore and the others to the Dauphin County side. Several were treated with a concern for hypothermia, but everyone is expected to be ok. While this happened because of a malfunction, first responders are reminding boaters to be aware of the posted warning signs near the dam.
