DECATUR COUNTY, GA (WALB) -What started as a fun night on the Flint River turned into a frightening ordeal for some people in Decatur County.
Authorities say eight people, including some small children, were on a houseboat Saturday night when dense fog rolled in.
They tried to make their way to the Bainbridge Marina but actually headed the opposite direction.
Lost in the fog and near-freezing temperatures, their houseboat then got hung on a stump.
Luckily, they were able to call for help.
"I think they would have survived and been okay if they stayed out there all night," says Decatur County Sheriff Wiley Griffin. "But there's no telling what could have happened if the stump caused damage to their houseboat. So it could have turned tragic. So a cell phone is a good thing to have from a safety standpoint."
Two rescue boats responded and got everyone off the houseboat.
Officials say it's also a good idea to always carry a compass or G-P-S, a sounding device, flares, and L-E-D lights when out on a boat at night.
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