MILLINOCKET — A ranger and two game wardens rescued a pair of West Virginia residents who spent 90 minutes in the cold water after their canoe capsized in the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, officials said Monday.

Joshua Tinnel, 43, and Shawna Robinson, 51, both of Nitro, West Virginia, were canoeing on Chamberlain Lake when their canoe capsized during strong winds Sunday morning about 60 miles north of Millinocket, officials said.

“Hypothermia sets in quickly with water temperatures this cold, and their life jackets saved them,” said Maine Warden Service Lt. Tom Ward.

They activated the SOS feature on their global positioning system beacon, which transmitted their location to the Maine Warden Service.

An Allagash ranger with a boat that could handle the powerful wind and waves joined two wardens in rescuing the pair.


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