A fishing accident on the Mississippi River led to the necessity of a rescue by Blytheville's Emergency Squad on Wednesday afternoon.
Joe Bob Crews, 46, of Luxora, and Emmett Letson Jr., 57, of Joiner, were fishing on the river Tuesday evening when the plug in their boat became dislodged, causing it to capsize. The two had to swim for land and spent the night on the river's Island 37.
The men's families reported them missing on Wednesday. The Mississippi County Sheriff's Department received the call at approximately 1:15 p.m., and alerted the Emergency Squad. Using two boats from the Rescue Squad, the Mississippi County Sheriff's Department's helicopter and seven squad members, first responders were able to locate the two men on the island's interior levee, in a place where the backwater had receded.
A spokesman for the rescue squad credited the men for wearing their life jackets. "That's what saved them," he said. The two men made it to the bank of the island and were able to build a fire and spent the night on the island.
According to Capt. Larry Robinson of the Sheriff's Department, the men were both dehydrated, but complained of no injuries and did not require any medical attention.