Man rescued near at Belle Isle, found clinging to Lee Bridge

It is officially river-rescue season. Two women had to be pulled picked up by motor boat Friday morning after being stranded due to higher water levels and then a man needed to be rescued Sunday afternoon near Belle Isle. According to a report on TimesDispatch.com:

Man dies after jumping from Manchester Bridge

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Source: NBC12.com

Rescue crews recovered the body of a man who reportedly jumped from the Manchester Bridge into the James River at about 11:15 a.m. Wednesday morning, according reports from NBC12.com.  The man, who was not immediately identified, was recovered about a half-hour later by a fire and rescue team in an inflatable boat launched from Brown’s Island.

Rock climber falls 25 feet, medflighted from Belle Isle

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A man was transported to VCU Medical Center on Sunday afternoon with serious injuries after falling about 25 feet while rock climbing on the south side of Belle Isle, according to a report in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. A fire official said the call came in around 1:30 p.m. Virginia State Police assisted with the rescue. The man was loaded into a rescue basket and transported by MedFlight to VCU.

If the report is true, that he was on the south side, he was likely not climbing in a bouldered area where safety equipment and rope holds are in place.

RIVER RANT: Deaths on the James River

The downside of having a wild river running through the urban James River is that it can be dangerous to those that do not take precautions. Fire and Emergency officials rescue far too many people who didn’t obey life jacket requirements when the river is above 5 feet, can’t tell that water levels are quickly rising, can’t swim or have too much to drink.

James River News Hub has begun a page to track deaths on the James River, beginning with the first 12 deaths research uncovered since mid-2007. While less than half of them appear to be accidental deaths caused during recreational visits to the river — including two unintentional drownings – it still calls attention to the need for caution.

Man rescued from river near Pipeline Rapids

Report from NBC12 posted around 10 a.m. Saturday morning, man found along Pipeline Rapids in downtown Richmond along a trail east of the Manchester bridge:

A homeless man was pulled from the James River near Brown’s Island just after 3 a.m. Saturday.  A spokesperson for Richmond Fire says they don’t know yet just how long the man had been trapped there. A security guard in the area heard someone screaming and called police. Richmond’s water rescue team found the man on the wrong side of the flood wall.

The man was traveling along the pipe system when he was swept away by the water. It took the water rescue team 40 minutes to pull him to safety. The man was taken to the hospital for treatment. There is no word on his condition.