3 Rescued From Dangerous Delaware River Wing Dam

NEW HOPE, PA — When a boat overturned at the Wing Dam in Delaware Canal State Park Monday evening, the New Hope Eagle Volunteer Fire Company acted quickly to rescue three people from the water.

At 6:31 p.m., the Eagle dispatched an airboat and an AlumaSki watercraft to assist the victims.

Crews found one man standing on the manmade strainer jutting into the waterway.

"Our Alumaski piloted by Liam Griffiths and Jack Herman made a risky rescue, having to back in to avoid being swept over the falls," the volunteer fire company wrote online.

The airboat rescued the other two people down the river, where they were near the shore south of Waterview Condominiums.

"The teams did a great job of safely bringing the boaters to shore," the fire company wrote. "Assistance was provided by Lambertville New Hope Rescue Squad, West Amwell Fire Company, and Central Bucks EMS."

The fire company also thanked Terry Marks for taking video of the scene.

"Putting these first responders in harm's way is a real pet peeve of mine," Marks wrote alongside his footage.

The Wing Dam on the Delaware River is known to be dangerous to navigate by boat, and first responders have previously had to complete frequent rescues. The New Hope Eagle Volunteer Fire Company said Monday evening's rescue was their second water operation of the day.

Stay informed about what’s going on in New Hope, or in your local area. Sign up for Patch emails and don't miss a minute of local and state news.

Got tips, story ideas, or questions in Lower Bucks County? Email kate.fishman@patch.com.