Boy Scouts trapped by floodwaters on West Virginia river rescued safely
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A Boy Scout river trip turned into a rescue mission Saturday after fast-moving floodwaters stranded 28 scouts in West Virginia.
As scouts traveled along the Cacapon River in Hampshire County on Saturday afternoon, the fast-moving water unexpectedly thickened, forcing the squadron to push toward shore.
But the boys from Fairfax, Virginia, soon found themselves stranded on the wrong side of the river.
Micah Campbell, who was with the spotters, told Fox News Digital that the team had planned a routine river trip before conditions rapidly deteriorated following the storm.
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Twenty-eight scouts were rescued after rising waters stranded the troop along the Cacapon River in West Virginia. (Jeffrey West)
“We were taking a river cruise and the current and strength of the river turned out to be a little stronger than we thought,” Campbell said.
Campbell said the scouts moved inland for safety before realizing they were stranded.
“When some of the kids went into the river, we decided to call it off and go ashore,” he said. “And now we were on the wrong side of the river, so we needed help getting across.”
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A troop from Fairfax, Virginia, became stranded during a river trip in West Virginia before rescue crews brought them to safety. (Jeffrey West)
Jeffrey West, whose father owns a cabin near where the scouts were stranded, said rescuers were called to the scene.
The watercraft eventually arrived and carried the children safely across the river.
The lookouts were trapped for about 45 minutes in total.
“It’s been a day,” West said with a laugh, adding that he had originally planned a “quiet weekend at the cabin.”
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Emergency crews responded after a Boy Scout troop became stranded in a river in Hampshire County, West Virginia. (Jeffrey West)
The children then gathered at the cabin and were given pizza and hot cocoa while they waited to be taken home, West said.
He added that necessary arrangements were made to remove the scouts from the area.
