Two kayakers were rescued from the St. Joseph River after their boats hit a tree and overturned Thursday afternoon in Niles.

Heath Beregsasy, of New Troy, said he and his girlfriend, Gabrielle Gibson, of Niles, were attempting to paddle around the Main Street Bridge construction site when their kayaks got stuck in a tree that was lying half in and half out of the water around 1:30 p.m.

When the kayaks overturned, Beregsasy and Gibson grabbed onto the tree’s branches while Beregsasy called for 911 from a waterproof phone in his pocket.

“This phone might have saved my life,” he said.

Niles firefighters Don Hughes and Scott Rieth climbed down the embankment on the west side of the river toward the stranded kayakers.

Fire Chief Larry Lamb, who was driving a boat, picked up Rieth and motored toward the kayakers. Rieth then helped Gibson and her boyfriend into the boat.

The two were dropped off on the riverbank at Lakeland Hospital, Niles, just a few yards away from where they became stuck.

“We have put a lot of effort into water rescue over the years… it worked the way it was supposed to,” Lamb said.

Beregsasy said it was his first time kayaking, while Gibson said she’s kayaked the river before, but not during bridge construction. Neither were wearing lifejackets.

Both thanked firefighters for coming to the rescue. Beregsasy estimates that they were stranded on the tree for about 10 minutes.

Beregsasy and Gibson said they did not sustain any injuries.

“We’re just cold,” Beregsasy said.

Hughes, who coordinates Niles’ river rescue team, said the kayakers are lucky to have escaped without getting hurt, or worse.

He said the area in which they were kayaking is dangerous because the river narrows as it goes around the construction site, causing water to flow much more quickly.

Lamb and Hughes said people should not attempt to paddle around the construction site unless they are experienced.

Both Lamb and Hughes advised everyone to wear life jackets while in the river.