(ICYMI) Teens Stranded on Rocks Rescued from Chattahoochee

A group of six older teenagers, surprised by rising waters on the Chattahoochee River due to generation at Buford Dam, were rescued from rocks in the middle of the river Wednesday afternoon.

Rescue crews from the Gwinnett and Johns Creek fire departments found the teens (ages 18-20) stranded around 30 yards from shore in the Settles Bridge Park area of the Chattahoochee, according to a Gwinnett Fire news release.

No one was injured.

“The group of friends was enjoying a day at the river and was unaware of the generation schedule,” Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge said in a news release. “They were suddenly caught by the rising current and were unable to get to shore on their own. They were not wearing life-jackets at the time, according to rescue personnel.”

Gwinnett County firefighters responded to a 911 call at 6:38 p.m. concerning the stranded teens.

Swiftwater rescue teams from Gwinnett and Johns Creek teamed up in the rescue. Johns Creek launched a rescue boat from McGinnis Ferry and headed upstream. Gwinnett put in at the Lower Pool at Buford Dam Park and traveled downstream.

Firefighters searching on the river bank spotted the teens and set up a downstream safety for the rescue. Johns Creek’s rescue boat reached the teens first and were able to removed them from the rocks at 7:09 p.m., Rutledge said.

They were taken to the Gwinnett side at Settles Bridge Park without incident.