FIRST ON FOX: A Boy Scout river trip turned into a rescue mission Saturday after fast-moving floodwaters trapped 28 scouts in West Virginia.
The scouts were traveling along the Cacapon River in Hampshire County on Saturday afternoon when fast-moving water intensified unexpectedly, forcing the troop to head toward the bank.
But the boys — from Fairfax, Virginia — soon found themselves trapped on the wrong side of the river.
Micah Campbell, who was with the scouts, told Fox News Digital the troop had planned a routine river trip before conditions quickly worsened following the storm.
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“We were doing a river trip and the current and the strength of the river turned out to be a little stronger than we thought,” Campbell said.
Campbell said the scouts initially moved toward land for safety before realizing they were stranded.
“When some of the boys went into the river, we decided to call it off and go on shore,” he said. “And now we were on the wrong side of the river, so we needed some help getting across.”
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Jeffrey West, whose father owns a cabin near where the scouts became stranded, said rescue crews were called to the scene.
Watercraft eventually arrived and transported the boys safely across the river.
Altogether, the scouts were stranded for roughly 45 minutes.
“It’s been a day,” West said with a laugh, adding that he had originally planned a “quiet weekend at the cabin.”
West said the boys later gathered at the cabin, where they were given pizza and hot cocoa while waiting for transportation home.
He added that arrangements were being made to shuttle the scouts out of the area.
“Unfortunately, the strong waters swept away many of the scout’s canoeing and camping equipment (dry bags, sealed 5-gal buckets with clothes, etc.),” Campbell added. “If any good Samaritan comes across these items in or along the river, please reach out to the troop at, troop1865canoe@gmail.com.”
