Mom swept away by current during river rescue as family watches, GA firefighters say
A woman is expected to be OK after being swept away by a current while her family watched helplessly as rescuers pulled her from a raging river in Georgia, according to authorities.
The woman and her daughter were in the Chattahoochee River on Sunday, May 22, when they became caught in a current near the Cumming Highway bridge in Buford, according to Gwinnett County Fire officials.
Rescuers arrived at the scene around 3 p.m. after a man called 911 to say his wife and daughter were stranded, officials said in a news release. Firefighters spotted the two victims from the bridge and made their way to the river bank, where the husband and his son were found safe.
Rescuers tried throwing ropes to the two in the water, but they were too far from the shore, firefighters said. Officials added that water levels were higher than normal “due to hydropower generation at the Buford Dam.”
A rescue boat was launched and swimmers reached the daughter before pulling her safely to shore, according to the release. She was treated at the scene and released to her father.
However, her mother was swept away by a current before rescuers could secure her.
Crews kept their eyes on the woman as the current carried her downstream, firefighters said. They were soon able to pull her from the water and onto a rescue boat, after which she was taken to a hospital for treatment. Her condition wasn’t known as of Monday, May 23.
“This incident serves as a good reminder that the National Park Service encourages everyone to wear Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) whenever near rivers,” officials said.
Buford is about 40 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta.
This story was originally published May 23, 2022 at 10:40 AM with the headline "Mom swept away by current during river rescue as family watches, GA firefighters say."