At 4:27 p.m. April 19, 911 telecommunicators received reports from bystanders saying that two men using a two-person kayak lost control of the craft shortly after launching it into the Fox River.

The strong current carried the boat and its passengers over a low head dam in Geneva.

One of the individuals was found unconscious floating down river from the dam and was rescued by Kevin O’Conner of Ottawa, Mark Stankus of West Chicago and responding Geneva firefighters. The victim was transported by Geneva Fire Department paramedics to Delnor Hospital in Geneva where he was reported to be recovering.

The second individual was recovered from the boil in front of the dam by personnel from the Geneva, Batavia, and St. Charles Fire Departments about two hours after the initial report. The patient was pronounced deceased by paramedics after consultation with the Emergency Room staff at Delnor Hospital.

The two men who went over the dam were from a group of six friends from the Bloomington, Ill. area 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 operations. They were provided assistance by staff members from the American Red Cross.