Firemen save girl in kayak misadventure

PARIS, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Israeli firemen turned rescue drills into rescue thrills when they saved a 10-year-old French girl whose kayak overturned in a strong current.

The team from the Petah Tikva fire station were on the bank of the Mieux River in France preparing for water rescue practice when the real thing came along.

Several people were paddling kayaks on the choppy river and, as they watched, the girl's boat overturn, trapping her underneath, Ynetnews reported.

Two firemen leaped in and swam to the boat. It couldn't be righted, so they dived under the water, released the girl and pulled her to the bank.

She was unhurt and most appreciative.

"She wouldn't stop thanking us," a spokesman for the group said.