Accident Database: Accident #1152

River: Gauley
Section: 9 (Lower). Bucklick Branch to Swiss
Location: Pure Screaming Hell
Accident Code(s): Caught in Rock Sieve
Injury Code(s): Near Drowning
Private/Commercial: Commercial
Boat Type: Raft
Number of Victims: 1
Hazard Codes: Natural Strainer or Sieve
Detailed Description: On September 27th two men flipped near the top of Pure Screaming Hell rapid on the Lower Gauley. One of the men swam right, and was washed into a very well-known and dangerous sieve just above the final hole. The swimmer grabbed hold of a tree limb wedged at the lip of the sieve, underneath a rock. He screamed that his leg was caught! Several people tried to lower lines to him, and one person actually managed to grab his wrist. Eventually he used these to work his foot free, then flushed under some giant boulders and emerged screaming for help. Afterwards he said he had no idea what rapid he was in or that the sieve was waiting downstream.
Report Status: Completed