There were some anxious moments at midday Sunday on the Boone River in central Iowa’s Hamilton County. Webster City firefighter and other rescue personnel helped rescue an eight-year-old Webster City boy and his family when one of their canoes flipped over shortly before 11:30 south of Webster City near the Highway 20 bridge.

The boy, Alex Hooker, and his mother Michelle, were in their canoe when it went around the bend and got caught up in a low hanging tree. Alex Hooker was trying to reach for his paddle that ended up in the river and instead the canoe flipped over.

Michelle Hooker helped her son get on to a tree branch. She then went after the canoe and then docked on the side of the Boone River. A canoe with two other family members, husband Terry Hooker and daughter Isabelle were following the canoe that flipped and avoided the tree that has hanging on the river.

Webster City firemen used their rescue boat to remove Alex Hooker from the tree he was clinging to. All of the family members were wearing life jackets. No injuries were reported.