GREAT CACAPON — Twenty-eight Boy Scouts and some parents were rescued from the Cacapon River in West Virginia on Saturday during a Memorial Day weekend canoe trip after rising water caused their canoes to capsize. All individuals were evaluated by EMS, and no injuries were reported.

The group, part of Fairfax, Virginia-based Troop 1865, had been traveling on the river when rapidly rising water conditions caused their canoes to tip over. The scouts and accompanying adults exited the water and reached the riverbank, though they became scattered across three different locations along the shore. They remained stranded for approximately 45 minutes before rescue crews arrived.

Micah Campbell, a leader with the troop, said they realized they were unprepared for the river conditions as the water rose rapidly. "We were doing a river trip and the current and the strength of the river turned out to be a little stronger than we thought," he said. "When some of the boys went into the river, we decided to call it off and go on shore. And now we were on the wrong side of the river, so we needed some help getting across."

Three rescue boats from Romney and Springfield fire companies responded to the scene. Jeffrey West facilitated the call for water rescue and assisted in bringing the group to shore. He then hosted them at his family’s cabin. "You just help people, that's what you do. I mean, if I was sitting on the other side, I wouldn't want any teenage boys to go sit in the rain and freeze as you ride to finally find the way here," West said. "You help people. That's what humans do to humans. That's all there is to it."

"This is what scouting is all about," Campbell said. "We had trained for it, the scouts took care of each other." Arrangements were made to shuttle the scouts out of the area after they gathered at the cabin.