*Video from a 2008 press conference held after two people drowned while swimming in the Rappahannock River. Following their deaths, Stafford officials erected signs in both English and Spanish warning river goers of the dangers the Rappahannock poses.
As the Independence Day holiday approaches, Stafford County officials want you to know that the Rappahannock River can kill.
Anyone who plans to get into the popular river, often used for tubing and canoeing, is encouraged to wear a personal floatation device, said Stafford County spokeswoman Cathy Riddle.
“The devices are loaned out free of charge to all visitors by attendants at the Historic Port of Falmouth Waterfront Park in Stafford. They should also obey all posted signs, and follow the directions of the park attendants,” said Riddle.
The Port of Falmouth Park is a popular destination for families on the Fourth of July.
At least 85 people have been killed along the banks of the park since 1972.
After a string of people drowning in 2008, county officials erected a series of signs along the riverbank, in both English and Spanish, warning river goers and swimmers about the dangerous undercurrents in the river.
That year the body of a 51-year-old male swimmer was found just 25 feet from shore. The victim was swimming with his family, went missing, and was found by a dive team the following day.
Two weeks prior, the body of a 17-year-old male from Maryland, who was visiting the Historic Port of Falmouth Park with a church group, also drowned.
