16 kayakers rescued after boats tip on Kalamazoo River, police say

BEDFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Sixteen kayakers found themselves in the Kalamazoo River Sunday evening, prompting a water rescue near Battle Creek.

Around 6:15 p.m., dispatch got a call from a kayaker who reported several people in their group had tipped their kayaks in the Kalamazoo River. Police and firefighters responded to the area off of River Road and Fort Custer Drive in Bedford Township.

Two drones were launched by police to help find the group. After about 90 minutes, all 16 people were found and rescued along a half-mile of the river. No one was injured, according to police.

Some people were able to make it to shore on their own, but some had to be rescued from an “island” in the river, according to law enforcement. A News 8 crew at the scene saw several rescue boats in the water and an ambulance on the shore.

“Please stay off the river while it is flooded, the current is extremely strong and hidden downed trees are present and always wear proper safety equipment when on water,” wrote the Bedford Charter Township Fire Department on a social media post .

Police had a similar warning, saying water levels on the river “rose a foot overnight,” causing the cancellation of a Kanoe the Kazoo event that had been scheduled for Saturday.

“Please be aware and cautious of the river flow while you enjoy the outdoors this summer, especially after heavy rain and when the river is visibly high and fast-flowing. Please wear a life jacket while on the water,” wrote a spokesperson for the Battle Creek Police Department.

Bedford Township, Battle Creek, Galesburg-Charleston, Ross-Augusta and Galesburg fire departments all responded, as well as the Battle Creek Police Department, Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office and Calhoun County Dive Team.

About 40 miles away in Three Rivers, another water rescue happened Sunday afternoon on the Rocky River. First responders were able to get everyone to shore safely and no injuries were reported. The Three Rivers Fire Department says it’s the third water rescue incident crews have responded to in the area within the last week.

“Due to all of the recent rain, the river is very high and extremely fast. While we understand that going through the rapids can be fun, it can also be extremely dangerous in these high water conditions. We ask that if you plan on kayaking or canoeing this stretch of the river that you use extreme caution and ALWAYS wear a life jacket,” the fire department wrote in a social media post .

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