A kayaker was killed Saturday while he and a group of friends from downstate Illinois were taking a trip down the Fox River in Geneva.
Two 26-year-old men were in a two-person kayak around 4:30 p.m. when they lost control and were carried over a river dam, Geneva fire officials said in a release.
Officials received reports from bystanders that the two individuals lost control of the craft shortly after launching it into the Fox River.
One of the individuals was found unconscious, floating down river from the dam, and was rescued by two bystanders and responding Geneva firefighters.
The victim was transported to Delnor Hospital in Geneva where he was reported to be recovering, officials said.
A second individual was recovered two hours later in front of the dam in a part of the river known as “the boil.”
The man was pronounced dead by paramedics.
The men who went over the dam were part of a group of six friends from Bloomington who had rented three two-person kayaks for a trip on the river. The four other friends were not injured and remained on the scene during recovery operation, the release said.
They were provided assistance by staff members from the American Red Cross.
