Christian Sanders, 18, Iola, and Russell Colthorp, 18, Chanute, found themselves up the river without a paddle Saturday afternoon, but, thankfully, not without their cell phones.
The young men became stranded two miles up the Neosho River from Iola after the battery for their trolling motor died and their only paddle broke in two.
However, one of them made a cell phone call to 911 dispatch, which led to their position being precisely pinpointed by GPS, said Emergency Manager Director Pam Beasley.
Iola firefighters Ryan Sell and Jeremy Ellington retrieved the stranded fishermen, towing them to safety behind the department’s jet ski.
It was a case of modern technology triumphing. Without their cell phones the two young men would have been in for a more trying experience.
Up the river without a paddle
