One Teenager Rescued From River, Second Drowns

On the morning of Friday, July 6th, rangers were dispatched to a 911 report of two young men disappearing beneath the river surface at Baker Ford Landing. One of them was rescued by bystanders in a canoe and brought to shore. The second 16-year-old was rescued by two trained lifeguards who happened to be on a concession-operated bus. They began CPR, which was continued by the rangers. They were in turn relieved by ambulance and AirEvac paramedics. He was flown to North Arkansas Regional Medical Center, where he was resuscitated, then to Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, where he eventually succumbed. It appears that neither of the young men was a strong swimmer and that they waded into deep water and current.