The Philadelphia Inquirer
(TNS)
May 23—Tyler State Park in Bucks County is closed "until further notice" following a boating accident involving a park resource ranger, according to a statement from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The incident occurred just before 12:30 p.m. Friday in Neshaminy Creek when state troopers received a call about a missing boater, Pennsylvania State Police said in a separate news release.
The boater, said state police, was a male park ranger, 38, from Delaware County, whose kayak had capsized. His name was not immediately released. "Numerous agencies from the county have responded to the location to search for the DCNR Park Resource Ranger," police said.
Rescue crews were seen on the water in the state park Friday afternoon, reported 6ABC, and staff had begun to turn away parkgoers at the Newtown and Northampton Township entrances just before 1 p.m. It is unclear when Tyler State Park will be able to reopen. The accident is being investigated, said state police.
Park resource rangers perform a "variety of public safety duties" in Pennsylvania's state parks, which can include patrolling grounds, administering first aid, and assisting with search and rescue operations, according to a job description.
Tyler State Park covers over 1,700 acres in Bucks County and is a popular summertime spot for hiking, boating, and fishing. The park reportedly receives around 1 million visitors annually.
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