One Man Is Dead and Another Is Missing After Their Raft Capsizes in Colorado River
The Grand County Sheriff's Office said that the two men are believed to not have been wearing floatation devices at the time their raft flipped
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The Colorado River in Gore CanyonOne person has died and another is missing after they went rafting on the Colorado River.
According to a press release from the Grand County Sheriff's Office obtained by PEOPLE, three people including a 56-year-old man from the Denver area, a 61-year-old man and an unnamed third person set out on a rafting trip near Yarmony Rapid, southwest of the rural town of Kremmling, Colo., on Saturday, June 1.
Grand County officials received a 911 text at around 3:40 p.m., stating that one of the men wasn't breathing after the raft capsized, the press release added. Officials from a number of agencies responded to the report, including personnel from the Grand County Search and Rescue, Grand County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and several others.
Related: Minor Found Dead in Colorado River After Their Boat Capsized During Rafting Trip
According to the Sheriff's Office, the unnamed 56-year-old man received CPR from first responders when they arrived, and was later pronounced dead. The cause and manner of his death will be released "when appropriate," the office said.
According to the press release, authorities used data from a Garmin device — a company that makes digital sport watches and other activity trackers — to determine that there had been a rafting accident.
The 61-year-old man — whose identity will be released "pending notification of his immediate family," the Sheriff's Office said — went missing after the raft capsized. The office said that various crews, including personnel in rafts, on the ground nearby, driving railroad vehicles and using Unmanned Aerial Systems (or drones) searched for the man after the 911 report, but he has yet to be found.
The third person was able to make it to the shore safely, the Sheriff's Office said in its release. Authorities also added that they believe the rafters were not wearing personal floatation devices, such as life vests, at the time of the accident.
According to a report from The Colorado Sun, searchers said that the raft had flipped over in whitewater flowing around 3,200 cubic-feet-per-second, a medium-to-fast measure of the Colorado River's speed.
The Colorado Sun also reported that this is not the first fatality of the rafting season in Colorado this year. Just last week, on May 30, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office reported that a woman died after her raft hit a bridge pylon near the Greyrock Trailhead, more than 100 miles away from Yarmony Rapid.
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According to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) website, all whitewater rafters, as well as those setting out on kayaking or canoeing trips, should always wear a properly-fitted life vest, wear helmets when visiting class IV or higher white water areas and "be aware of the limitations of yourself, your party and your equipment."
"Never forget the power of the river, and know the section of river you are boating," the CPW advises.
BLM River Rangers will continue the search for the missing man on Sunday, the Sheriff's Office said.
"Anyone rafting in the area is encouraged to be vigilant and call or text 911 with any additional information or sightings," the Sheriff's Office added.
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