Boaters rescued from Erie Canal with help of kayakers and RFD

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — Two boaters were rescued with the help of some kayakers and the Rochester Police Department Monday afternoon.

It happened on the Erie Canal near Brooks Avenue at around noon.

Rochester Fire Department Battalion Chief Mark Stoianovich said two people were boating in the canal when the boat hit a log. The impact threw them from the boat.

Stoianovich said they were not wearing life jackets.

The unoccupied boat was going in circles. Stoianovich said the two boaters managed to grab a hold of seat cushions from the boat, which double as floatation devices.

Stoianovich said a couple of kayakers found the two distressed boaters, grabbed them and brought them to shore.

The Rochester Fire Department helped them out of the water.

"They thought they didn’t need to wear their PFD and they needed to wear their PFDs," Stoianovich said. "So wear a PFD whenever you’re out on the water, ’cause when you don’t think you’re gonna need it, you’re gonna need it."

Stoianovich said the two boaters were exhausted once they reached the shore.