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Water rescue teams safely bring kayaker, 3 boaters to shore on Ottawa River this weekend

The Ottawa Fire Service water rescue team near the Ottawa River. (Peter Szperling/CTV News Ottawa) The Ottawa Fire Service water rescue team near the Ottawa River. (Peter Szperling/CTV News Ottawa)
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Ottawa Fire Services says a kayaker and three boaters were rescued after falling into rapids on the Ottawa River this weekend.

Crews say the first incident happened on Saturday just before 5 p.m. after two kayakers were seen entering the Dechenes Rapids, near Britannia Beach.

Only one of the kayakers were seen coming out of the water, prompting water rescue teams from Ottawa and Gatineau to immediately start looking for them.

The kayaker was safely found shortly after crews launched their boats.

Second water rescue on Sunday afternoon

Three more people were rescued from the Deschenes Rapids on Sunday after a boat flipped over.

Ottawa fire's deputy chief Louise Hine-Shmidt could not confirm if the incident occured in the same part of the rapids as Saturday, but said in an email that both calls came in from the Britannia Yacht Club on Cassels Street.

Ottawa and Gatineau water rescue teams were called to the rapids at approximately 12:50 p.m.

One of the occupants of the boat was found by Gatineau Fire Water Rescue team hanging onto a paddle board by the rapids. The other two were found by Ottawa Fire Water Rescue teams holding onto a rock.

All three boaters were safely brought to shore, Ottawa fire says.

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