1 dead after raft flips on Arkansas River near Salida
SALIDA, Colo. (KKTV) - A man is dead and officials with Colorado Springs Parks and Wildlife (CPW) are investigating after a private boat flipped on the Arkansas River Friday afternoon.
Officials with CPW said witnesses saw a raft carrying three people enter Bear Creek Rapid, east of Salida, and flip over. The three passengers were then thrown into the river. One person made it to shore, and a ranger who was patrolling the river was able to rescue a second person.
Officials said the third person and the flipped raft went missing down the river and triggered a search including emergency responders from a number of agencies in the area. The raft was located two miles downstream, just above Wellsville, and officials said it appeared the third person was unresponsive and entangled in the raft. Eventually, the victim became separated from the raft and came to rest on an island above the Wellsville Bridge.
Rescuers immediately began CPR after a group of private boaters retrieved the body, but they were unable to revive the victim, who was pronounced dead on scene. Officials said the victim was wearing a life jacket. As of this article’s last update, the victim had not been publicly identified.
According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, this is the 14th confirmed water-related death in Colorado this year and the third in the Arkansas River in a week.
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Source: KKTV
