Whitewater kayaker Ben Atherton shared this intense footage from a kayak rescue on the Linville River. The primary kayaker gets stuck in a river siphon on the Jailhouse Rapid in the Linville River Gorge in North Carolina. The kayaker notices the siphon just before being pulled in, but by then it’s too late. He’s sucked under the water for a period before another kayaker is able to pull him up.
Two angles are shown in the video, one from the kayaker who gets stuck and one from a rescuer. Two people work to pull the stuck individual out of his kayak, likely saving his life. Fortunately the guy seems rather alright following the incident, if not a bit shaken up.
“Thanks Bernie. I’m unsure what would’ve happened if you weren’t with us. This is what hard whitewater can dish out. All that fancy stuff you see on Instagram is disconnected from the reality that this sport can kill you. Just remember: it’s pretty damn hard to drown in a siphon if you just get out and portage. Stay safe out there folks.”
