Etowah rescue worker killed in efforts to rescue missing kyaker

Vicky Ryan

A rescuer on a recovery mission on the Coosa River in Gadsden has died.

Vicky Ryan was pronounced dead just before 10:30 Saturday night at Riverview Regional Medical Center. Coroner Michael Head says the cause of her death is drowning.

Ryan is survived by her husband, fellow rescue squad member Houston, Ryan and a ten year old son.

Two Etowah County Rescue Squad boats capsized while they were searching for a possible drowning victim on Saturday.

About nine rescuers were pulled from the water. Several of them were taken to the Riverview Regional Medical Center.

Rescuers were searching for a kayaker believed to have capsized while attempting to go over an artificial waterfall near Brook Avenue on Saturday morning. The kayak was still floating in the area when rescuers arrived but the person never resurfaced.

Authorities initially responded with one boat but it capsized near the waterfall and the crew fell into the creek. A second boat responded to rescue the first crew but it too fell victim to the waterfall and capsized.

The kayaker was found dead in Big Wills Creek around 10:30 Sunday morning, some 200 yards from the kayak accident.  The kayaker has been identified as Dakota Brett Crandall, a 25 year-old who lived in Southside but was originally is from Utah.