BREAKING: Rescue personnel responded to an incident near the South Tailwater area by the Red Rock dam this morning, with one fatality resulting from the accident.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were pulled from the water and transported to Pella Regional Health Center; one was pronounced dead and the other was injured. Identities of those involved won’t be released until families are notified.
Des Moines Fisherman Dustin Shepard was with Dan Dumerhoff and told KRLS News a pair of kayakers got too close to the outflow area of the Des Moines River.
“We saw the kayaks were up by the danger sign, and one of them got sucked in and the other one followed him in and got sucked in too,” he said.
One was brought ashore by the fishermen; the other was pulled in by the Pella Fire Department and other rescue personnel. The incident occurred at approximately 11 a.m. and several agencies responded for reports of two capsized kayaks.
Sheriff Jason Sandholdt said, “If it wasn’t for the effort of multiple individuals and agencies both individuals could have lost their lives this morning. Workers from Ames Construction, area fisherman, firemen from Knoxville Rural and Knoxville City, Pella Ambulance and Deputies threw rescue lines to the individual that was still fighting to hold on to the capsized kayaks. They were able to get him pulled out of the deadly current, where members of the Pella Fire Department could get a hold of him and transport him to a waiting Pella Ambulance.”
“The Corp of Engineers did a great job of closing the gates of the dam to reduce the outflow allowing us to work. We are thankful we were able to get one of the individuals out of the deadly situation, but nothing will ease the pain of losing the other individual.”
Pella Rural Fire, Pella Ambulance, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Knoxville Fire and Rescue, and Knoxville Township Rural Fire responded to the scene.
Post updated from original at 12:15 p.m.
