A kayaker died and four others were rescued Wednesday after falling into the turbulent waters of the Kern River in Southern California, authorities said.
The Swiftwater Rescue Ream responded around 5:30 p.m. to a report of five kayakers falling into the high-flowing river on a section of the river near Ant River Canyon and Kernville, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office said.
Rescuers saved four of the kayakers and were working to recover the body of the fifth, whom officials confirmed had died.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office also responded and described the group as “professional kayakers,” three men and two women who had been kayaking near Gold Ledge Campground. Officials said the missing kayaker was a man.
No additional details about the kayakers were immediately provided.
Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux urged people to avoid the state’s waterways, saying they have become “incredibly dangerous” and that the waters are colder and faster than usual.
The Kern River flows down from the southern Sierra Nevada into the Central Valley and is popular for kayaking and whitewater rafting.
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Authorities across California have warned that heavy winter storms and melting snow have made many rivers swollen and hazardous.
Last month, a 4-year-old boy and his 8-year-old sister were swept away in the raging King River after authorities say the children had entered the water with their mother and her adult friend while trying to climb onto a rock. The bodies of the siblings were later recovered.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
