MARIES COUNTY — Occupants of a boat involved in a Sept. 5 accident on the Gasconade River escaped serious injury, according to Maries County Sheriff Mark Morgan.

The Maries County Sheriff’s Office, Vienna Fire Department, Maries-Osage Ambulance District and Missouri State Highway Patrol were dispatched at approximately 12:49 p.m. to the river between mile markers 177 and 178 near the Highway 42 bridge.

Morgan said those involved were able to give dispatchers a general location of the accident rather than relying on river mile markers.

“They said that they were at Chama Valley, I believe, or they were near the bridge between Indian Ford and Chama Valley,” Morgan said.

Morgan said the accident was “across from the Chama Valley campground” and confirmed the location was between mile markers 177 and 178. He said he did not believe the occupants provided the mile markers when initially reporting the accident.

The sheriff’s office responded with a department watercraft because emergency personnel were initially uncertain whether the crash site could be reached from land.

“We responded with a boat because we didn’t know exactly where we were going to,” Morgan said. “We didn’t know if we’d be able to access the crash scene from, but it turned out we didn’t actually have to put it in water.”

Morgan said a deputy responded with the sheriff’s office boat while the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Water Patrol Division also brought a boat to the scene. Neither watercraft was launched.

First responders located the boat along the shoreline upon arrival. All occupants had exited the boat before emergency personnel reached the scene.

Emergency medical personnel evaluated the occupants, who reported only minor bumps and bruises. No serious injuries were reported.

Morgan said the Maries County Sheriff’s Office, Vienna Fire Department, Maries-Osage Ambulance District and Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Water Patrol Division responded to the incident.

Morgan recognized the Vienna Fire Department, Maries-Osage Ambulance District and Missouri State Highway Patrol for assisting with the response.

The sheriff’s office encouraged those using the Gasconade River to exercise caution, wear properly fitted life jackets and remain alert to changing river conditions.