A woman who died in a kayaking accident in Maryland over the weekend was identified as a Secret Service agent.
Stephanie Hancock, 40, a special agent, drowned in Annapolis on June 30 after her kayak overturned.
Neither Hancock nor a man who she was with, who has not been named, were wearing life jackets, officials said.
It took about six hours for Hancock's body to be found after the kayak overturned around 3:30 p.m. near Horn Point.
The man was spotted and rescued.
Three other people went missing in two different incidents on the water, the police said.
In one incident, a police officer found a boat adrift late June 30 in Curtis Bay. Allen Van Dyke, a 43-year-old boat mechanic, was test driving the boat but was not on board.
Officials also rescued six kayakers after they got stuck in Baltimore County during stormy weather.
Kayaking Safety Tips
People who go kayaking can take precautions, experts said.Kayakers are encouraged to find at least one partner; going alone adds to prospective danger.
And kayakers should make a plan before they go, including estimated time of arrival back from kayaking, and give the plan to a loved one onshore.
Bohling also recommended kayakers use safety gear, including life preservers, protective footwear, and clothing that can get wet.
"Put your skills to the test in a class, not on an unguided trip. You and your friends don’t have to be experts, but everyone must be a strong enough paddler to handle the return distance with ease. For sit-in kayaks, everyone in the group must know how to do a wet exit and at least one person must know how to do a self rescue and T-rescue. When you’re a newer paddler, it’s smart to minimize possible complications when you choose a destination," it said.
Attributes new kayakers should look for include calm, flat water; small bodies of water; and places that are not popular with power boats.