Storms strand family camping on Wapsi sandbar

Crews rescued five people and three dogs early Sunday from a sandbar in the Wapsipinicon River after overnight storms broke loose their kayaks and tubes, leaving them stranded.

The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call about 7:45 a.m. from a man saying he and his family were camping on a sandbar on the river north of Quasqueton. Their tents collapsed in the overnight storms, but, even more important, the bad weather sent their kayaks floating downstream.

Firefighters launched a rescue boat from the Iron Bridge Access and found the family up river. The family and their dogs were brought ashore, and no one was injured, the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office said.

The sheriff’s office said was it was assisted in the rescue operation by the Quasqueton and Independence fire departments.