4 Women Rescued After Boat Gets Stuck At Longhorn Dam

AUSTIN, TX — Four women were rescued Thursday after their boat got stuck at the edge of Longhorn Dam at Lady Bird Lake, authorities said.

Austin-Travis County EMS responded to a water rescue at 2:36 p.m. at 1-79 N Pleasant Valley Road. Authorities received reports from 911 callers a boat was "up against the dam" and it looked like it was"going to go over" the Longhorn Dam at Lady Bird Lake.

EMS officials said multiple people were reportedly on board the boat that was partially over the top of the dam. Officials added the boat was attached to another boat in the area by a rope.

By 3:04 p.m., ATCEMS reported the women and the boat had been pulled off the dam and in to open water by the Austin Police Department's Lake Patrol boat.

The water rescue in Austin received national attention Friday and was featured on the popular news outlet ABC News.

The Austin Police Department told ABC News the four women were visiting Texas and rented the boat to go out on the lake.

The women noticed the small electric boat had drifted too close to the dam where it got stuck because it did not have enough power to get out, officials said.

The women called the boat company they rented from and they came out to help; however, their rescuers didn't have enough power either and became stuck as well.

Police said the Lake Unit came out with a gas-powered boat and were able to connect to the company boat, which was connected to the girls' boat, and they were pulled away from the dam.

An Austin police officer told the news outlet if the women's boat had gone over, it could have been deadly. Authorities also said the dam's spillway was open because of the recent waterfall.