Kayaker on Lake Norman saved by police and Good Samaritan Jet-Ski rider

Cornelius Police on Thursday stressed the importance of wearing a personal flotation device on waterways, after a kayaker was rescued on Lake Norman late Tuesday.

The kayaker was in the water for about a half-hour when police received a call of a person in distress near Vineyard Point Lane at about 10:30 p.m.

With the help of a Good Samaritan on a Jet Ski, lake patrol officers pulled the victim out of the water. The kayaker had a personal flotation device on. He was treated at Carolinas HealthCare System Huntersville for hypothermia.

Wearing a personal flotation device greatly reduces the risk of drowning, police said in a statement.

“It is also important to check lake water temperatures before swimming or boating,” police said. “Even on the warmest winter days, hypothermia can still be a threat due to colder water temperature.”

“The Cornelius Police Department commends the Good Samaritan and other residents in the area who called 911 and offered assistance with the successful rescue of the distressed kayaker,” the police statement said.

This story was originally published February 9, 2017 at 4:34 PM with the headline "Kayaker on Lake Norman saved by police and Good Samaritan Jet-Ski rider."