10 children, 1 adult rescued from river

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Firefighters rescued 10 children and an adult who got caught in the rapids of a Gwinnett County river Saturday afternoon, authorities said.

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First responders received a call about a group of people trapped in the Alcovy River at Freeman's Mill Park just before 5 p.m., Gwinnett fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge said.

When firefighters arrived, they saw 11 people who were in “immediate danger.” A group of children was on the rocks below the waterfalls while a father and another child were stuck on top of the falls in the middle of the river, Rutledge said.

The people at the river got trapped when a thunderstorm caused water levels to rise, creating treacherous rapids, authorities said.

A child who was about to go over a 10-foot drop was rescued first by two firefighters who tied a rope to themselves and entered the river, Rutledge said.

The others were given floats and life vests until crews could pull them from the water. The entire rescue operation took about an hour.

The group was at the park having a multifamily picnic near the edge of the water, authorities said, and there were posted signs cautioning patrons not to enter the river.

It’s unclear how long the family had been stuck in the water before being rescued.

Cox Media Group