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Hunters rescued on island
Swam there after boat overturned
Rescue WEB
Six duck hunters spent a wet morning on an island (background) near Young Deer Park after this boat overturned. - photo by Jim Dean

 

Several duck hunters ended up cold and wet Thursday morning after their boat overturned in Lake Lanier.

Forsyth County Fire Capt. Jason Shivers said the department was called to Young Deer Park about 9 a.m. with the intention of conducting a water rescue.

However, a bystander who heard the group of four men and two teenagers calling for help had begun bringing them back to shore from a nearby island, where they were stranded. 

Shivers said it was not clear how the boat overturned.

“There were no injuries other than them being cold and wet,” said Shivers, adding that all six were wearing insulated hunting gear.

Emergency responders provided the hunters with warm blankets and offered to take them to a nearby hospital for evaluation.

He said all six swam to the island after the boat overturned about 30 feet from shore at the park in northeastern Forsyth.

“What could have been a disastrous situation due to the environmental conditions turned out to be just a morning of aggravation for them,” Shivers said.