FRYEBURG, Maine — Nearly a dozen people are safe after being rescued from a remote section of the Saco River in Fryeburg while canoeing Monday afternoon.
Just before 4:30 p.m., Fryeburg first responders were called to the river for a group of 11 people in distress after falling into the water while renting canoes amid high river conditions, according to Fryeburg Fire Chief Andrew Dufresne.
Dufresne said the group was inexperienced.
Multiple local agencies responded to the scene, including specially trained Conway Swiftwater Rescue Team technicians.
The incident happened at a portion of the river near mile marker 7, where there is "limited access and poor communications," according to a Facebook post from the Fryeburg Fire Department.
A Swiftwater raft crew was able to reach the group once police made verbal contact and found about half of the group still in the water clinging to debris, the fire department said.
Many people were pulled from the water and brought to shore, and the group was taken away by boat once all were out of the water safely.
All 11 people were rescued after approximately two hours.
"This incident could have had a very different outcome," the fire department said. "We remind everyone that the river remains high, please check conditions prior to departing on your trip, life jackets save lives."