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Cale Jaffe ran aground on this rocky island in the middle of the James. A rescue attempt was made but had to be aborted when one of the rescuers was capsized from the Jetski. |
Water Rescue on the James River
Balcony Falls Area
May 23, 2001
Two men, Cale Jaffe and Damien Jackson, were kayaking on the James River. One of the men, Cale Jaffe, lost his paddle and managed to land on an island in the middle of the river. The rock island was approximately 300 feet from the bank. Damien Jackson managed to make it to the bank to summon assistance. Glasgow Rescue Squad, Glasgow Fire Department, Big Island Fire Department, Monelison Rescue Squad, The Virginia Fish and Game Commission, and the US Navy were called out to assist.
Our dive team attempted a rescue using the Jetski and Zodiac water craft. However the attempt was aborted when the Jetski capsized and floated downstream. The operator caught some branches sticking out of the water and had to be rescued by the Navy, along with Cale Jaffe.
The helicopter used was a SH-3 Sea King Rescue Helicopter operating out of NAS Oceana. The rescue attempt lasted just over five hours. Mr. Jaffe did not suffer any injuries during his ordeal.
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Cale Jaffe ran aground on this rocky island in the middle of the James. A rescue attempt was made but had to be aborted when one of the rescuers was capsized from the Jetski. |
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| One of the rescuers, Danny Smith, caught these branches as he floated past. |
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A US Navy SH-3 Sea King was called out to assist with the rescue. Calls were made to LifeGuard 10, Pegasus, the State Police, and the Coast Guard. However, none were available to assist. Shown here, a crew member from the helicopter, identified as Rescue Swimmer AE2 Dave Brusby, is descending to rescue Danny. |
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Dave Brusby is securing Danny to be picked up. |
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Danny is secured and is in the process of being winched aboard. |
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Almost there... |
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Danny is aboard and enroute to the landing zone at the Glasgow Carnival Grounds. |
The SeaKing lands at the carnival grounds and drops
off Danny and Cale.
Liftoff!
This rescue took place at Balcony Falls. It is approximately 1-½ to 2 miles downstream from the Glasgow boat landing. To those familiar to the area. it is the exact spot where the gravesite of Frank Padget is.
Want to learn about Frank Padget? Click here.
Want to make a comment on this call?
Subject:
Deliverance Rescue
At approximately 1650 on 23 May the Inland Rescue
Coordination Center at Langley AFB notified the NAS Oceana Air Operations Duty
Officer of a stranded boater in the upper James River and requested assistance
from NAS Oceana Search and Rescue. The
alert crew of Deliverance 02 was immediately notified and recalled.
The crew consisted of Aircraft Commander LCDR Mike Pampalone, Second
Pilot LCDR Jim McDowell, Crew Chief and Rescue Swimmer AE2 Dave Brusby and
Helicopter Aircrewman and Corpsman HM2 Jason Conley.
The crew launched at 1735 enroute to the scene, 150 miles northwest of
NAS Oceana, approximately 2 miles south of Glasgow VA in the rapids of the James
River. Deliverance 02 arrived on
screen at 1840 and immediately located the stranded kayaker perched on a rock in
the river. The flight crew positioned the helicopter over the boater,
and HM2 Conley lowered AE2 Brusby to the water.
AE2 Brusby quickly attached a rescue harness to the cold and exhausted
boater and HM2 Conley hoisted them both up from the rapids.
The crew delivered him to officials on the scene in Glasgow.
While on deck, the crew learned of a second stranded man, a member of the
Glasgow Lifesaving and First Aid Crew who had been attempting to rescue the
stranded boater when the rapids swept him off his jet ski and into the fast
moving river. The crew of
Deliverance 02 quickly re-manned the helicopter and began a search for the
second person. They found the man
clinging to a small tree in the middle of the rapids.
LCDR McDowell quickly established a high hover over the man and tree and
HM2 Conley deftly lowered AE2 Brusby into the river.
After struggling with the current for several minutes, and at one point
being dragged underwater in the deep rapids, AE2 Brusby managed to attach a
rescue harness to the stranded would-be rescuer and HM2 Conley hoisted them up
and in the helicopter. The man was
delivered to officials in Glasgow suffering from Hypothermia. He was treated on the scene and released.
LCDR Mike Pampalone
Maintenance Officer, NAS Oceana Search and Rescue
(757) 433-3354 Fax:
(757) 433-2157
06-08-03
Name: Aline de
Witt
Email: alinede1@cs.com
Comment:
I had heard of the rescue about the time it
took place. It is nice to see pictures of it. I had heard also of the
Padget monument but not sure where to find it. Is there a hiking trail to
it?
Aline
06-23-03
Name: Douglas
Eubank Sr.
Comment:
I prayed to God in the James River. I almost went down in the James river i am 10
years old I was rafting with my sister she didn't know how to paddle.