Individuals who were on the river that day, but part of another group, reported that the party included two kayaks and two rafts. The two kayaks went on ahead and ran China Dam. The rafts followed apparently not realizing they were entering a class V rapid (this is unconfirmed). One of the rafts flipped and Tibig sustained a head injury and was not breathing; he had to be pulled to shore where he was rescusitated. The party included inviduals with EMT and SAR skills who treated the victim.
Seattle rafter revived, rescued on Crooked River Raft hit rock, tossing all 14 rafters in water
Posted: 10:28 AM, Apr. 30, 2006 By Barney Lerten, KTVZ.com
A Seattle man, part of a 14-member whitewater rafting group floating the Crooked River on Saturday, was found floating unconscious after their raft hit a partly submerged rock and overturned. But he was revived and rescued, and was in stable condition Sunday at a Redmond hospital.
The Deschutes County Sheriff's Search and Rescue unit received a request about 6:20 p.m. to help rescue the near-drowning victim on the river below Crooked River Ranch, said sheriff's Sgt. Dan Swearingen. SAR volunteers helped members of the CRR and Redmond fire departments carry the victim, Joseph Tibig, 33, of Seattle, up a long, steep trail from the river's edge to a waiting Redmond Fire ambulance, Swearingen said. Others in the rafting party told investigators the group of 14 was rafting the river from Lone Pine to the Crooked River Ranch area when their raft hit the rock and flipped, tossing all of them into the river. Tibig was seen floating face-down in the water and was pulled to shore, unconscious and not breathing, Swearingen said. Rescue breathing was administered by members of the group, who were able to revive him. All of the party wore life jackets and helmets, and were experienced whitewater rafters, Swearingen said. The Website www.riverfacts.com lists the stretch of the Crooked River the group was rafting as "a mid-difficulty stretch to paddle."
