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Coast Guard rescues two canoers from Merrimack River during routine patrol

Coast Guard rescues two canoers from Merrimack River during routine patrol
IS IN NEWBURYPORT WITH THE STORY. TODD: THE COAST GUARD WAS OUT ON ROUTINE PATROL ON THAT BOAT WHEN THEY CAME UPON TWO PEOPLE IN THE WATER, WEARING LIFE JACKETS, AND CLINGING TO AN EMPTY CANOE >> THEY OBSERVED TWO PEOPLE WITH LIFE JACKETS, HOLDING ONTO THE SIDE OF THE CANOE. TODD: THESE PHOTOS FROM THE COAST GUARD SHOW THE RESCUE AROUND SUNSET ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, IN A SECTION OF THE MERRIMACK RIVER KNOWN AS JOPPA FLATS. IT’S NEAR PLUM ISLAND, AND CA HAVE A STRONG CURRENT. THE COAST GUARD WAS ON ROUTINE PATROL, AND HAPPENED UPON WH LOOKED LIKE AN UNMANNED, ADRIFT CANO BUT UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE CLINGI TO THE CANOE, IN THE COLD WATER. >> THE BOAT CREW PULLED THEM OUT OF THE WATER, TOWED THEIR CANOE, AND THEY BROUGHT THEM BACK TO PLUM ISLAND. TODD: IT’S NOT CLEAR HOW THE PEOPLE ENDED UP IN THE WATER, BUT THEY WERE THERE FOR ABOUT 90 MINUTES. PHOTOS OF THE RESCUE ARE POSTED ON THE COAST GUARD STATION MERRIMACK’S FACEBOOK PAGE. ONE OF THE COMMENTS READS, THANK YOU FOR SAVING MY SON. I AM VERY GRATEFUL. I HOPE HE NOW UNDERSTANDS THAT CANOES ARE NOT TO BE USED IN THAT PART OF THE MERRIMAC RIVE HE WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE COAST GUARD CAME TO HIS RESCUE. THANK YOU. >> THE RIVER IS NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING YOU WANT TO UNDERESTIMATE. THERE’S DEFINITELY, EVEN ON A NICE SUMMER DAY, WITH CALM CONDITIONS, THERE ARE DANGERS AND CHALLENGES THAT YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF AND BE PREPARED FOR. TODD: THOSE DANGERS INCLUDE THE CURRENT, AND THE WAT TEMPERATURE, WHICH E
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Coast Guard rescues two canoers from Merrimack River during routine patrol
The crew found what appeared to be an empty canoe, but found two people clinging to the side of it in the water.

The crew found what appeared to be an empty canoe, but found two people clinging to the side of it in the water.

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