By Danielle Sanzone
The Record

GREEN ISLAND - In the fast-paced, choppy Mohawk River waters Tuesday evening, nearly 10 college age youths fell from their small boats resulting in area fire departments organizing to rescue them.

Green Island, Cohoes, and Troy Fire Departments responded to a call of five to nine youths in the water. Authorities were told that they had fallen in the Hudson River near the Black Bridge in Cohoes.

After some false alerts from shore with firefighters mistaking large tree branches for bodies, the emergency responders were told to withdraw.



The unidentified youths, according to Green Island Fire Chief Robert Bourgeois, actually fell into the Mohawk River not far from the confluence with the Hudson River. The small crew rowing boats tipped over but there were motorboats following behind with the group and they quickly retrieved them from the cold water.

The incident occurred around 6 p.m. Tuesday, which had temperatures hovering in the 60s and likely enticed the boaters to the water.

"They are all safe," Bourgeois said. "They picked the wrong day to go rowing. The water level was high and it was very choppy."

• 1
• See Full Story

• 1
• 2
• See Full Story

• 1
• 2
• 3
• See Full Story

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• See Full Story

By Danielle Sanzone
The Record

GREEN ISLAND - In the fast-paced, choppy Mohawk River waters Tuesday evening, nearly 10 college age youths fell from their small boats resulting in area fire departments organizing to rescue them.

Green Island, Cohoes, and Troy Fire Departments responded to a call of five to nine youths in the water. Authorities were told that they had fallen in the Hudson River near the Black Bridge in Cohoes.

After some false alerts from shore with firefighters mistaking large tree branches for bodies, the emergency responders were told to withdraw.



The unidentified youths, according to Green Island Fire Chief Robert Bourgeois, actually fell into the Mohawk River not far from the confluence with the Hudson River. The small crew rowing boats tipped over but there were motorboats following behind with the group and they quickly retrieved them from the cold water.

The incident occurred around 6 p.m. Tuesday, which had temperatures hovering in the 60s and likely enticed the boaters to the water.

"They are all safe," Bourgeois said. "They picked the wrong day to go rowing. The water level was high and it was very choppy."

• Return to Paging Mode