River level lowered to save boaters from going over Niagara Falls

In an effort involving helicopters, watercraft and crews working from the shore, American emergency responders rescued two people who were aboard a six-metre boat that nearly went over Niagara Falls.

Just after 11 p.m. Sunday, the coast guard station in Buffalo received a distress call from the boat operator indicating they were disabled and adrift, and that they need assistance.

After receiving the GPS location, crews determined the boat was in the upper Niagara River and very close to the exclusion zone.

The boat operator was directed to anchor immediately, but by the time that was done the boat drifted well inside the exclusion zone close to the Canadian falls.

A coast guard boat crew responded but stopped at the exclusion zone.

New York State Police also responded, both on water and from land, and tried to float a tow line to the boat.

Crews made contact with river control and requested the water levels to be lowered, which caused the disabled vessel to ground just south of Goat Island, where they were able to anchor and stop the vessel’s drift toward the falls.

They eventually realized the anchors weren’t even holding; the boat was only being held in place by the lower unit of the engine, which was acting as an anchor.

A helicopter from Erie County Air One made multiple attempts to hoist the people from the boat, but were unsuccessful each time. That effort had to be abandoned because of safety concerns.

A Coast Guard MH65 Dolphin helicopter from Detroit was requested, but before it got there, police were able float a tow line to the vessel.

Both people were taken off the vessel safely, and the boat was towed to shore.

Meanwhile, on Lake Erie the next morning, two people were rescued after capsizing their small boat at MacDonald Turkey Point Marina about 80 km west of Buffalo on the north shore of Lake Erie.

OPP Norfolk Detachment said the boaters were rescued immediately and there were no injuries.