At 1:04 pm the Danville Fire Department, Danville Life Saving Crew, and Danville Police Department were dispatched to call for a watercraft in distress along the Dan River near the Danville YMCA. While responding the call units were updated that were 2 persons in the river in distress. Danville Fire Department responded with 4 engines, a ladder truck, and 4 support vehicles to several locations along the river to initiate rescue operations. One person self-rescued below the Martin Luther King bridge and was treated by Danville Life Saving Crew and transported to SOVAH-Danville. The Danville Life Saving Crew located and recovered the second person which was deceased with rescue boat operations. The Danville Police Department and Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries are investigating the accident. We would like to remind everyone to please monitor river conditions prior to entering moving water by checking the U.S. Geological Survey website for current flows and river levels and to wear proper personal flotation device at all times.
Terry L. Barker
Fire Captain