HELEN — Four people are safe after two small boats they were in capsized on a lake in White County Saturday.
White County Fire Chief Norman Alexander said the initial call, which was received around noon, came in as a 9-1-1 hang-up call. The dispatch center was able to trace that call to Unicoi State Park, north of Helen.
Alexander said the four people, two in each boat, had gone out on the lake at the park while it was quite windy and the boats tipped over.
"They self-rescued themselves," Alexander said.
Initially, officials believed that the victim or victims were still in the lake.
That prompted White County officials to contact the Hall County Fire Department Dive Team and put them on standby.
A short time after fire officials arrived on scene at Unicoi, the boats' occupants were located.
Along with White County Fire personnel, Helen Fire Department, Hall County Dive Team, White County Sheriff's Office, and Georgia Department of Natural Resource assisted in the call.
Four people are safe after two small boats capsized in Smith Lake at Unicoi State Park near Helen around noon Saturday.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2016/4/383144/occupants-safe-after-small-boats-capsize-at-unicoi-state-park