Vermont woman dies in kayak accident on Buffalo National River

BUFFALO NATIONAL RIVER, Ark. (KTHV) - The National Park Service says a woman kayaking dies in an accident while on the Buffalo National River.

On May 6 at 2:30 p.m. a 79-year-old Vermont native drowned after her head struck a tree and her kayak overturned. A friend that was with her says she was underwater for several minutes before she could reach the victim's kayak. She says she was unable to turn the kayak upright or get her friend's head out of the water.

Boaters floating down the river helped turn the kayak upright and get the woman out of the water. It is thought the woman was underwater for about 40-45 minutes.

The accident happened just upstream from the Ozark Campground.

National Park Service rangers, along with Newton County Search and Rescue, recovered the body. The river was running at 588 cubic feet/second.