Kayaker rescued from Fox River in Aurora

A man in his 30s flipped over in a kayak on the Fox River in Aurora and struggled underwater but made it back to shore with the help of an onlooker Saturday afternoon, Aurora fire officials said.

The man was taken to Presence Mercy Medical Center in Aurora with nonlife-threatening injuries, Battalion Chief Kevin Kubisak said.

He was about 15 to 20 feet from the riverbank near the Illinois Avenue bridge, a popular kayaking and fishing spot around Spiers Island.

Another man who had used the kayak earlier jumped back into the water when the other was submerged, Kubisak said. The pair then got caught up in the currents.

"It was moving fast because of all the rain we had," Kubisak said.

The two managed to swim to the edge of the river, where Aurora police and park district staff helped pull them out of the water. Fire department rescue dive teams were called about 3:15 p.m. to ensure no one else was involved in the accident, Kubisak said.

The man taken to the hospital was "distraught" but conscious and breathing, he added.