A trip to D.C. turned tragic Sunday afternoon when a woman in a group of visiting college students drowned while kayaking in the Potomac River, authorities say.
The group from the Columbia University Whitewater Kayaking Club was kayaking on the river in Little Falls near the Chain Bridge when one of the kayakers, Ella Mills, became trapped under water after her clothing got caught on a rock. First responders were called to reports of a kayaker in distress at about 3:15 p.m., Montgomery County Fire Department said in a release.
The group along with others passing by tried to help her before first responders arrived, but she did not survive.
"It’s very deceiving," warned Pete Piringer of Montgomery County Fire and Rescue. "In some areas it looks calm, but it’s not. If you’re brought even a foot or two under water, it’s like having 500 pounds of pressure against you."
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The group of about two dozen kayakers were in the river near the D.C. and Montgomery County border.
D.C. police are investigating.
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Mills, was a third-year student in Columbia University’s dual BA program with Trinity College in Dublin. The school described her as a literary scholar who loved learning new things. She played tennis and was involved with theater.
Columbia planned to hold a vigil on campus Monday evening.
This is a developing story. Stay with News4 for updates.
